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Habitat Suitability Index Procedure for Columbian Sharp-tailed Grouse Item Info

Columbian sharp-tailed grouse (Tympanuchus phasianellus columbianus) occupy <10 percent of their historic range. Because of recent increases in some sharp-tailed grouse populations, improved range condition, and the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), interest in transplanting Columbian sharp-tailed grouse into historic range within the state of Idaho and surrounding Western States has increased. Unfortunately, a habitat suitability index (HSI) to systematically evaluate and rank potential release sites for the Columbian subspecies is not available. Therefore, after evaluating the HSI for the plans sharp-tailed grouse (T. p. jamesi), we developed an index more applicable to the Columbian subspecies. Four areas in southeastern Idaho, All known to support viable populations of sharp-tailed grouse, were chosen to develop the procedure. The HSI is divided into 2 components, each representing a seasonal habitat of Columbian sharp-tailed grouse. Both winter food/cover habitat and nest/brood cover habitat were evaluated using the concept of percent equivalent optimum area. The equivalent optimum area concept assumes that a large area of low quality can have a habitat value equivalent to a smaller area of higher quality. Our HSI provides a systematic method to evaluate habitat quality for Columbian sharp-tailed grouse. It can also provide values which are compatible with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services' Habitat Evaluation Procedure (HEP). The HSI can also be used to determine the amount of mitigation crediting a particular site may provide and be used by biologists without considerable experience in sharp-tailed grouse biology.

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Title:
Habitat Suitability Index Procedure for Columbian Sharp-tailed Grouse
Authors:
Meints, Daryl R. Connelly, John W. Reese, Kerry P. Sands, Alan R. Hemker, Thomas P.
Date Created:
1992-11-01
Description:
Columbian sharp-tailed grouse (Tympanuchus phasianellus columbianus) occupy <10 percent of their historic range. Because of recent increases in some sharp-tailed grouse populations, improved range condition, and the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), interest in transplanting Columbian sharp-tailed grouse into historic range within the state of Idaho and surrounding Western States has increased. Unfortunately, a habitat suitability index (HSI) to systematically evaluate and rank potential release sites for the Columbian subspecies is not available. Therefore, after evaluating the HSI for the plans sharp-tailed grouse (T. p. jamesi), we developed an index more applicable to the Columbian subspecies. Four areas in southeastern Idaho, All known to support viable populations of sharp-tailed grouse, were chosen to develop the procedure. The HSI is divided into 2 components, each representing a seasonal habitat of Columbian sharp-tailed grouse. Both winter food/cover habitat and nest/brood cover habitat were evaluated using the concept of percent equivalent optimum area. The equivalent optimum area concept assumes that a large area of low quality can have a habitat value equivalent to a smaller area of higher quality. Our HSI provides a systematic method to evaluate habitat quality for Columbian sharp-tailed grouse. It can also provide values which are compatible with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services' Habitat Evaluation Procedure (HEP). The HSI can also be used to determine the amount of mitigation crediting a particular site may provide and be used by biologists without considerable experience in sharp-tailed grouse biology.
Relation:
Bulletin Number 55
Source:
Idaho SD12.I2 U47, University of Idaho Library Special Collections and Archives, http://www.lib.uidaho.edu/special-collections/
Type:
Text
Format:
application/pdf

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Preferred Citation:
"Habitat Suitability Index Procedure for Columbian Sharp-tailed Grouse", Idaho Forest, Wildlife, and Range Experiment Station Collection, University of Idaho Library Digital Collections, https://www.lib.uidaho.edu/digital/fwres/items/fwres188.html
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