Hi folks,

In the Animal Ecology section of the May 1996 Volume (Vol 49 No 3) of =
the Journal of Range Management is an article that some people might =
find of interest. The JRM is a publication of the Society for Range =
Management "serving as a forum for the presentation and discussion of =
facts, ideas, and philosophies pertaining to the study, management, and =
use of rangelands and their several resources." Enjoy...

Jon. Anderson
Olympia, Washington
festuca at olywa.net

An investigation on fire effects within xeric sage grouse brood habitat. =
Richard A Fischer, Kerry P Reese and John W Connelly. pp 194-198. =
Abstract: "We investigated the short-term influence of fire on xeric =
sage grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) brood habitat in southeastern =
Idaho from 1990-92. A prescribed fire in 1989 removed Wyoming big =
sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata wyomingensis Nutt.)/threetip sagebrush =
(A. tripartita Rydb.) canopy cover from approximately 57% of a 5,800-ha =
area, potentially influencing brood-rearing habitat. Although the fire =
created a mosaic of sagebrush areas interspersed with open areas having =
abundant grasses and forbs, the relative abundance of males, females, =
and broods on survey routes in burned and unburned habitat were similar. =
Cover of forbs important in sage grouse summer diets was similar in =
burned and unburned habitat. However, the abundance of Hymenoptera, an =
insect Order important in sage grouse diets, was significantly lower in =
burned habitat the second and third year postburn. Our research did not =
support the contention that fire may enhance sage grouse brood-rearing =
habitat."