Free-roaming horses disrupt greater sage-grouse lekking activity in the Great Basin

Journal of Arid Environments
By: , and 

Links

Abstract

Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; hereafter, sage-grouse) and free-roaming horses (Equus caballus) co-occur within large portions of sagebrush ecosystems within the Great Basin of western North America. In recent decades, sage-grouse populations have declined substantially while concomitant free-roaming horse populations have increased drastically. Although multiple studies have reported free-roaming horses adversely impacting native ungulate species, direct interactions between free-roaming horses and sage-grouse have not been documented previously. We compiled sage-grouse lek count data and associated ungulate observations during spring of 2010 and 2013–2018. We used Bayesian multinomial logistic models to examine the response of breeding male sage-grouse to the presence of native (i.e. mule deer, pronghorn) and non-native (i.e. cattle, free-roaming horses) ungulates on active sage-grouse leks (traditional breeding grounds). We found sage-grouse were approximately five times more likely to be present on active leks concurrent with native ungulates compared to non-native ungulates. Of the four different ungulate species, sage-grouse were least likely to be at active leks when free-roaming horses were present. Our results indicate that free-roaming horse presence at lek sites negatively influences sage-grouse lekking activity. Because sage-grouse population growth is sensitive to breeding success, disruption of leks by free-roaming horses could reduce breeding opportunities and limit breeding areas within sage-grouse habitat.

Study Area

Additional publication details

Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Free-roaming horses disrupt greater sage-grouse lekking activity in the Great Basin
Series title Journal of Arid Environments
DOI 10.1016/j.jaridenv.2020.104304
Volume 184
Year Published 2021
Language English
Publisher Elsevier
Contributing office(s) Western Ecological Research Center
Description 104304, 6 p.
Country United States
State California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah
Other Geospatial Great Basin
Google Analytic Metrics Metrics page
Additional metadata about this publication, not found in other parts of the page is in this table