Standardized Broad-Scale Mapping of Sage Grouse Habitat Suitability Across Montana and the Dakotas

Abstract

Efforts to conserve imperiled sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) ecosystems and associated organisms often prioritize population characteristics of landscape species like the greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus). Distribution, and spatial juxtaposition of environments supporting remaining sage-grouse populations are key to delineating habitats to inform management decisions. Sage-grouse exhibit seasonal movements and use habitats that are heterogeneously distributed across 11 states, so standardized sage-grouse habitat maps are needed across large extents for multiple phenological stages. Our primary goal was to map seasonal habitats of sage-grouse relevant to management across Montana and the Dakotas using methods complementary to past and current efforts. We compiled a dataset from 16 sage-grouse research projects collected from 2001–2021, ranging from single-season VHF studies to year- round GPS studies. We fitted patch-scale resource selection functions based on correspondence between heavy use areas and 8 coarse-scale landscape conditions. We generated habitat suitability maps for conventional sage-grouse seasons for comparison to models of more detailed behavior-seasons. We frame our preliminary results in context of other mapping projects including local studies that evaluate habitat relationships at finer scales and a range- wide project that includes Montana and the Dakotas.