Ducks and Passerines Nesting in Northern Mixed-Grass Prairie Treated With Fire
Prescribed fire is an important, ecology-driven tool for restoration of grassland systems. However, prescribed fire remains controversial for some grassland managers because of reported reductions in bird use of recently burned grasslands. Few studies have evaluated effects of fire on grassland bird...
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ftunivnebraskali:oai:digitalcommons.unl.edu:usgsnpwrc-1276 2024-09-30T14:40:14+00:00 Ducks and Passerines Nesting in Northern Mixed-Grass Prairie Treated With Fire Grant, Todd A. Shaffer, Terry L. Madden, Elizabeth M. Berkey, Gordon B. 2012-01-01T08:00:00Z application/pdf https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/usgsnpwrc/276 https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/context/usgsnpwrc/article/1276/viewcontent/Grant_WSB_2012_Ducks_and_Passerines_Nesting.pdf unknown DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/usgsnpwrc/276 https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/context/usgsnpwrc/article/1276/viewcontent/Grant_WSB_2012_Ducks_and_Passerines_Nesting.pdf United States Geological Survey, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center: Publications duck fire effects grassland bird mixed-grass prairie nest density nesting North Dakota prescribed fire text 2012 ftunivnebraskali 2024-09-02T07:48:20Z Prescribed fire is an important, ecology-driven tool for restoration of grassland systems. However, prescribed fire remains controversial for some grassland managers because of reported reductions in bird use of recently burned grasslands. Few studies have evaluated effects of fire on grassland bird populations in the northern mixed-grass prairie region. Fewer studies yet have examined the influence of fire on nest density or survival. In our review, we found no studies that simultaneously examined effects of fire on duck and passerine nesting. During 1998–2003, we examined effects of prescribed fire on the density of upland-nesting ducks and passerines nesting in north-central North Dakota, USA. Apparent nest densities of gadwall (Anas strepera), mallard (A. platyrhynchos), and all duck species combined, were influenced by fire history of study units, although the degree of influence was not compelling. Fire history was not related to nest densities of blue-winged teal (A. discors), northern shoveler (A. clypeata), or northern pintail (A. acuta); however, apparent nest densities in relation to the number of postfire growing seasons exhibited a strikingly similar pattern among all duck species. When compared to ducks, fire history strongly influenced apparent nest densities of clay-colored sparrow (Spizella pallida), Savannah sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis), and bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus). For most species examined, apparent nest densities were lowest in recently burned units, increased during the second postfire growing season, and stabilized or, in some cases, decreased thereafter. Prescribed fire is critical for restoring the ecology of northernmixed-grass prairies and our findings indicate that reductions in nest densities are limited mostly to the first growing season after fire. Our results support the premise that upland-nesting ducks and several grassland passerine species are adapted to periodic fires occurring at a frequency similar to that of pre-Euro-American settlement of the region. Text Northern Shoveler Shoveler University of Nebraska-Lincoln: DigitalCommons@UNL |
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Open Polar |
collection |
University of Nebraska-Lincoln: DigitalCommons@UNL |
op_collection_id |
ftunivnebraskali |
language |
unknown |
topic |
duck fire effects grassland bird mixed-grass prairie nest density nesting North Dakota prescribed fire |
spellingShingle |
duck fire effects grassland bird mixed-grass prairie nest density nesting North Dakota prescribed fire Grant, Todd A. Shaffer, Terry L. Madden, Elizabeth M. Berkey, Gordon B. Ducks and Passerines Nesting in Northern Mixed-Grass Prairie Treated With Fire |
topic_facet |
duck fire effects grassland bird mixed-grass prairie nest density nesting North Dakota prescribed fire |
description |
Prescribed fire is an important, ecology-driven tool for restoration of grassland systems. However, prescribed fire remains controversial for some grassland managers because of reported reductions in bird use of recently burned grasslands. Few studies have evaluated effects of fire on grassland bird populations in the northern mixed-grass prairie region. Fewer studies yet have examined the influence of fire on nest density or survival. In our review, we found no studies that simultaneously examined effects of fire on duck and passerine nesting. During 1998–2003, we examined effects of prescribed fire on the density of upland-nesting ducks and passerines nesting in north-central North Dakota, USA. Apparent nest densities of gadwall (Anas strepera), mallard (A. platyrhynchos), and all duck species combined, were influenced by fire history of study units, although the degree of influence was not compelling. Fire history was not related to nest densities of blue-winged teal (A. discors), northern shoveler (A. clypeata), or northern pintail (A. acuta); however, apparent nest densities in relation to the number of postfire growing seasons exhibited a strikingly similar pattern among all duck species. When compared to ducks, fire history strongly influenced apparent nest densities of clay-colored sparrow (Spizella pallida), Savannah sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis), and bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus). For most species examined, apparent nest densities were lowest in recently burned units, increased during the second postfire growing season, and stabilized or, in some cases, decreased thereafter. Prescribed fire is critical for restoring the ecology of northernmixed-grass prairies and our findings indicate that reductions in nest densities are limited mostly to the first growing season after fire. Our results support the premise that upland-nesting ducks and several grassland passerine species are adapted to periodic fires occurring at a frequency similar to that of pre-Euro-American settlement of the region. |
format |
Text |
author |
Grant, Todd A. Shaffer, Terry L. Madden, Elizabeth M. Berkey, Gordon B. |
author_facet |
Grant, Todd A. Shaffer, Terry L. Madden, Elizabeth M. Berkey, Gordon B. |
author_sort |
Grant, Todd A. |
title |
Ducks and Passerines Nesting in Northern Mixed-Grass Prairie Treated With Fire |
title_short |
Ducks and Passerines Nesting in Northern Mixed-Grass Prairie Treated With Fire |
title_full |
Ducks and Passerines Nesting in Northern Mixed-Grass Prairie Treated With Fire |
title_fullStr |
Ducks and Passerines Nesting in Northern Mixed-Grass Prairie Treated With Fire |
title_full_unstemmed |
Ducks and Passerines Nesting in Northern Mixed-Grass Prairie Treated With Fire |
title_sort |
ducks and passerines nesting in northern mixed-grass prairie treated with fire |
publisher |
DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln |
publishDate |
2012 |
url |
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/usgsnpwrc/276 https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/context/usgsnpwrc/article/1276/viewcontent/Grant_WSB_2012_Ducks_and_Passerines_Nesting.pdf |
genre |
Northern Shoveler Shoveler |
genre_facet |
Northern Shoveler Shoveler |
op_source |
United States Geological Survey, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center: Publications |
op_relation |
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/usgsnpwrc/276 https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/context/usgsnpwrc/article/1276/viewcontent/Grant_WSB_2012_Ducks_and_Passerines_Nesting.pdf |
_version_ |
1811642731728994304 |