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National Park Service Research Needs
TITLE: Prairie
Dog Ecosystem Studies
SUBMITTING BUREAU: National Park Service
Originating Office: Midwest and Intermountain Field Areas
DATE SUBMITTED: May 21, 1996
BIN NUMBER: NPS08CR98
BRD REGION: Central
DESCRIPTION OF NEED/MANAGEMENT PROBLEM WITH NEED: Prairie dogs strongly alter ecosystem structure and function of Great Plans and some southern intermountain landscapes by creating disturbed vegetation and soil patches. Through an intermediate disturbance regime, prairie dogs modify and underpin the distribution and abundance of threatened and sensitive plants and invertebrates, as well as over 160 vertebrate species, including the mountain plover, ferrouginous hawk, swift fox, and highly endangered blackfooted ferret.
Because prairie dogs have been viewed by public and private sectors as an ecosystem altering "pest", over 98% of the black-tailed prairie dog habitat in the Great Plants has been intentionally lost since 1900. In 1995, the NPS and BRD collaborated to conduct the first NPS system-wide inventory of abundance and distribution of the black-tailed prairie dog. Several unexplained localized prairie dog extinctions within NPS units have occurred in the recent past and only seven prairie NPS units now contain relict black-tailed prairie dog populations. Of these, only three parks now appear capable of maintaining long-term viable black-tailed prairie dog populations. It should be expected that those species associated with prairie dog systems will go extinct at higher rates that the prairie dog.
Major threats to the viability of relict prairie dog ecosystems include, 1) habitat fragmentation through agriculture and urban development bordering parks, 2) population reduction through Federal and State supported animal damage control programs bordering parks, and 3) wildlife disease. Abundant information on prairie dog ecosystem structure and function is available at the patch scale (i.e., individual colony), yet there is a major information gap concerning prairie dog ecosystem responses to the threats described above at landscape, regional, and biogeographic areas scales.
As the provider of needed biological research and information, the NPS needs the assistance of BRD in all aspects of integrated prairie dog conservation management. Specifically, assistance is needed in, 1) developing models of bison, fire, and prairie dog interactions at the landscape level, 2) epidemiology models of sylvatic plague and canine distemper at landscape and regional scales, 3) models of small population dynamics in insularized relict prairie dog populations and 4) the consequences of increasing spatial insularization to patterns of associated biodiversity at regional and biogeographical scales. NPS also needs assistance in the logical development of landscape level conservation management plans, development and selection of action alternatives, and in the evaluation and adaptation of management programs. A systematic integrated approach to prairie dog conservation management is needed for the entire region and for individual parks and their environs.
BUREAU CONTACT: Steve Cinnamon, 402-221-3437
Cluster Contacts:
Great Plains - Glenn Plumb, 605-279-2466
Rocky Mountain - Tom Wylie, 303-969-2970
Colorado Plateau - Janet Wise, 303-987-6678
BRD PRIMARY CENTER: NPWRC (MESC)
BRD CENTER CONTACT: Doug Johnson (Bruce Baker)
RESULTS OF BRD-INITIATED COMMUNICATION (FY99): Steve Cinnamon earlier indicated that the proximate concern involved a site at Fort Larned, Kansas. The Santa Fe Trail passes through the site and is designated as a historical site. Prairie dogs live at the site, and their burrowing activities are degrading the trail ruts. NPS is interested in relocating prairie dogs off-site. Previous efforts, including the use of the Dog-Gone vacuum system, were incomplete.
Steve earlier was apprised of ongoing activities involving prairie dogs. We agreed that BRD could provide technical assistance. That might include convening some experts on prairie dogs, a site visit, development of a strategy, and consideration of a range of options.
Steve was contacted again in 1998 and asked if there were any additions or shifts in priorities. None was indicated.
Relevant studies by Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center:
Work began in 1997 and continued in 1998 on the survey of black-tailed prairie dog colonies in the northern Great Plains. Thousands of miles of transects in Nebraska, Wyoming, South Dakota, and North Dakota were flown. Coordinates of the beginning and ending of colonies were digitally recorded, so that line intercept sampling could be employed to estimate the areal extent of the colonies. Data collection is complete and the current activities involve GIS processing of the data. This effort is being conducted in conjunction with the U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the National Park Service.
Bruce Baker provided the following updates on work conducted by the Midcontinent Science Center study that involves prairie dogs.
Baker: During the 1997 field season we continued research to evaluate the influence of prairie dogs on birds and vegetation. We also added a comparison on nest predation on artificial ground nests this year. Ninety-seven colonies were sampled at Aubrey Valley, AZ, Coyote Basin, UT, and Moxa Arch and Shirley Basin, WY. Results suggest that nest predation is higher on colonies than off, although the magnitude of the difference is small. A paper reporting results of the 1997 nest predation study will be published in the January 1999 issue of the Journal of Wildlife Management.
In 1998, we repeated the study for black-tailed prairie dogs at Badlands National Park and Thunder Basin National Grassland. Results showed higher predation on colonies than off for artificial nests, but a small sample of natural nests showed no differences.
We will also report results from 1996-97 studies that compared plant structure, avian abundance, and plant species composition on and off prairie dog colonies.
Kotliar et al.: Monitored wintering raptors on and off prairie dog colonies, and other areas, in eastern Colorado during the 1997-98 winter. In future years this project will be expanded to surrounding States to evaluate long-term regional trends in raptor populations that winter on or near prairie dog colonies.
Biggins et al.: During 1998, we evaluated the distribution and status of white-tailed prairie dogs in Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming relative to the occurrence of sylvatic plague. Study is still in progress.
This BIN is now completed except for publications.
DATE SUBMITTED TO REGIONAL OFFICE: December 11, 1998
PREPARED BY: Douglas H. Johnson, USGS Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center, (701) 253-5539, email: Douglas_H_Johnson@usgs.gov
RESULTS OF BRD-INITIATED COMMUNICATION (FY98): Steve Cinnamon earlier indicated that the proximate concern involved a site at Fort Larned, Kansas. The Santa Fe Trail passes through the area and is designated as a historical site. Prairie dogs live at the site, and their burrowing activities are degrading the trail ruts. NPS is interested in relocating prairie dogs off-site. Previous efforts, including the use of the Dog-Gone vacuum system, were incomplete.
Steve earlier was apprised of ongoing activities involving prairie dogs. We agreed that BRD could provide technical assistance. That might include convening some experts on prairie dogs, a site visit, development of a strategy, and consideration of a range of options.
Steve was contacted again on 11 September 1997 and asked if there were any additions or shifts in priorities. None was indicated.
Work began in 1997 on the survey of black-tailed prairie dog colonies in the northern Great Plains. Large portions of Nebraska, South Dakota, and North Dakota were flown. Coordinates of the beginning and ending of colonies were digitally recorded, so that line intercept sampling could be employed to estimate the areal extent of the colonies. Surveys will continue in 1998, and cover Wyoming and Montana. This effort is being conducted by the U.S. Forest Service in conjunction with the Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the National Park Service.
Bruce Baker provided the following update on the Midcontinent Science Center study that examines prairie dogs as keystone species study:
During the 1997 field season we continued research to evaluate the influence on prairie dogs on birds and vegetation. We also added a comparison on nest predation on artificial ground nests this year. Ninety-seven colonies were sampled at Aubrey Valley, AZ, Coyote Basin, UT, and Moxa Arch and Shirley Basin, WY. Preliminary analysis suggests that nest predation is higher on colonies than off, although the magnitude of the difference is small. Remaining analyses are still in progress.
DATE SUBMITTED TO CENTRAL REGION OFFICE: Nov. 14, 1997
PREPARED By: Douglas H. Johnson, USGS Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center, (701) 253-5539, email: Douglas_H_Johnson@usgs.gov
Addendum by BRD Central Regional Office (3/10/97):
The National Wildlife Health Center (NWHC) in Madison, Wisconsin has met with the Fort Collins Science Center, BLM, FWS, and NPS to develop research plans for addressing plague and its impact on the recovery of black-footed ferrets and on prairie dog ecosystems. This effort includes the evaluation of vaccine effectiveness in prairie dogs and black-footed ferrets, which has recently been funded for one year (1997). NWHC contact: Milt Friend
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