State Wildlife Grant - T-51-R
| Project Overview | |
|---|---|
| Project Title |
Community Dynamics and Nest Survival of Conservation Priority Birds in Grasslands with Restored Disturbance Regimes
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| Target Species |
Baird’s Sparrow, Chestnut-collared Longspur, Grasshopper Sparrow, Marbled Godwit, Nelson’s Sparrow, Sprague’s Pipit, Bobolink, Dickcissel, Le Conte’s Sparrow, Lesser Scaup, Northern Harrier, Northern Pintail, Sharp-tailed grouse, Short-eared Owl, Upland Sandpiper, Western Meadowlark, Willet.
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| Timeline |
January 2018 - December 2020
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| Investigators |
Torre J. Hovick, North Dakota State University
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Project Description
Grasslands are inherently dynamic systems and evolved with fire and grazing processes that varied spatially and temporally across the landscape. Human alteration and suppression of grassland disturbance regimes has led to reduced ecosystem function, stability, and loss of biodiversity. The overall goal of this project is to evaluate the influence of three different grassland management practices on bird community dynamics and survival. The three management practices will vary the spatial and temporal distribution of cattle by altering the timing and amount of prescribed fire. This research will take place on North Dakota State University’s Central Grasslands Research Extension Center (CGREC) in Kidder and Stutsman counties.