Animal community

Wildlife Interpretations.
Animal Community – Wildlife Interpretations
This plant community provides a mixture of grasses, forbs and shrubs offering suitable habitat for native invertebrates. Mule deer, elk and antelope are the large herbivores using the site. The site provides seasonal habitat for resident and migratory animals including sagebrush lizard, shrews, bats, ground squirrels, mice, coyote, red fox, badger, Ferruginous hawk, prairie falcon, Brewers sparrow, sage-grouse, horned lark and western meadowlark. Encroachment of noxious and invasive plant species (cheatgrass and medusahead) in isolated areas can replace native plant species which provide feed, brood-rearing and nesting cover for a variety of native wildlife. Water features are sparse provided by seasonal streams, artificial water catchments and springs.
State 1 Phase 1.1 – Basin Big Sagebrush/ Idaho Fescue/ Bluebunch Wheatgrass/ Antelope Bitterbrush Reference Plant Community (RPC): This plant community provides a diversity of grasses, forbs and shrubs, used by native insect communities that assist in pollination. An extensive array of forbs and shrubs are in bloom throughout the growing season leading to a diverse native pollinator community. Many avian and mammal species utilize this habitat based on the availability of invertebrate prey species. The reptile community is represented by leopard lizard, short horned lizard, sagebrush lizard, western skink and western rattlesnake. Native shrub-steppe obligate avian species including Brewer’s sparrow, sage sparrow, sage-grouse and sage thrasher use this site. This site can provide nesting and brood rearing habitat for sage-grouse. The plant community provides year round forage and thermal cover for mule deer and elk. Antelope bitterbrush provides preferred winter forage for mule deer and fair forage for elk. Small mammals utilizing the site include golden-mantled ground squirrels, chipmunks, jackrabbits and yellow-bellied marmots. Pygmy rabbits may use these sites. The deer mouse is beneficial to this site as it is the principal vector for planting bitterbrush seed.

State 1 Phase 1.2- Basin Big Sagebrush/ Bottlebrush Squirreltail Plant Community: This state has developed due to improper grazing management and lack of fire. An increase in canopy cover of sagebrush and bitterbrush contributes to a sparse herbaceous understory. Available pollinator habitat is reduced as is the diversity and numbers of insects with the reduction of grasses and forbs. The reptile community is represented by leopard lizard, short horned lizard, sagebrush lizard, western rattlesnake and western skink. The reduction of grasses and forbs in the plant community would reduce the available prey species and cover for these resident reptile species. Fewer prey species and less understory cover results in limited food, brood-rearing and nesting habitat for bird species. Shrub-steppe obligate bird species; Brewer’s sparrow, sage sparrow and sage thrasher may benefit from the increase in sagebrush. A reduction of herbaceous understory will lower the quality of sage-grouse habitat. Seasonal (spring, summer and fall) forage habitat for mule deer and elk would be reduced due to poor vigor and amounts of herbaceous vegetation. Thermal cover and young of year cover for deer and elk would be provided at this site. Quality of winter habitat for mule deer and elk would be reduced due to low vigor and quality of antelope bitterbrush. Small mammal population would be similar to Phase 1.1. The deer mouse is beneficial to this site as it is the principal vector for planting bitterbrush seed.

State 1 Phase 1.3 –Bluebunch Wheatgrass/ Tall Green Rabbitbrush/ Bottlebrush Squirreltail Plant Community: This plant community is the result of wildfire. The plant community, dominated by herbaceous vegetation with little to no sagebrush or antelope bitterbrush would provide less vertical structure for animals than in Phase 1.1 or 1.2. Insect diversity would be reduced with the loss of sagebrush and antelope bitterbrush but a diverse native forb plant community would still support select pollinators. An increase in rabbitbrush would provide late season pollinator habitat. The reptiles, including short horned lizard and sagebrush lizard would be limited or excluded due to the loss of sagebrush. The dominance of herbaceous vegetation with little sagebrush canopy cover would prevent use of these areas as nesting habitat by sage-grouse, Brewer’s sparrow, sage sparrow and sage thrasher. This plant community provides limited brood-rearing habitat for sage- grouse if adjacent sagebrush cover is provided. The dominant herbaceous vegetation improves habitat for grassland avian species (horned lark and western meadowlark). Mule deer and elk would use this site for seasonal (spring, summer and fall) forage needs but the site would offer little thermal cover and young of year cover. The reduction of shrub cover would allow higher predation of small mammals and would favor grass seed eating mammal species.


State 1 Phase 1.4 –Antelope Bitterbrush/ Idaho Fescue/ Bluebunch Wheatgrass Plant Community Plant Community: This plant community is the result of no fire well beyond the historic fire frequency. An increase in the canopy cover of bitterbrush contributes to a sparse herbaceous understory. Available pollinator habitat is reduced as is the diversity and numbers of insects with the reduction of grasses, forbs and sagebrush. The reptile community is represented by leopard lizard, short horned lizard, sagebrush lizard, western rattlesnake and western skink. The reduction of grasses, forbs and sagebrush in the plant community would reduce the available prey species and cover for these resident reptile species. Fewer prey species and less understory cover results in limited food, brood-rearing and nesting habitat for bird species including Brewer’s sparrow, sage sparrow, sage-grouse and sage thrasher. The decrease in sagebrush would reduce the quality of habitat for these birds. Brood-rearing habitat quality for sage-grouse would be lowered due to reduction of understory vegetation and insects. Seasonal (spring, summer and fall) forage habitat for mule deer and elk would be reduced due to poor vigor and amounts of herbaceous vegetation. Thermal cover and young of year cover for deer and elk would be provided at this site. Quality of winter habitat for mule deer and elk would be reduced due to poor quality of antelope bitterbrush. Small mammal population would be similar to Phase 1.1. The deer mouse is beneficial to this site as it is the principal vector for planting bitterbrush seed.

State 2 – Cheatgrass/ Bulbous Bluegrass Plant Community:
This state has developed due to frequent fires or improper grazing management. Invasive herbaceous plants and patches of root sprouting shrubs like rabbitbrushes can be present and provide limited pollinator habitat. If rabbitbrush is present it would enhance fall seasonal pollinator habitat. Native reptile species identified in Phase 1are not supported with food, water or cover. This plant community does not support the habitat requirements for sage thrasher, Brewer’s sparrow, sage-grouse or sage sparrow. Diversity of grassland avian species is reduced due to poor cover and available food. Birds of prey including hawks and falcons may range throughout these areas looking for prey species. Mule deer and elk may utilize the herbaceous vegetation in the early part of the year when invasive annuals (cheatgrass) are more palatable. At other times of the year large mammals would not regularly utilize these areas due to poor food and cover conditions. Poor cover for small mammals would allow more predation and the plant community would favor grass seed eating mammal species.

State 3 - Range Seeding Plant Community: The proposed seeding mixture (native or non-native) would determine the animal species that would utilize the area. A diverse seed mixture of grasses and forbs would provide similar habitat conditions as in the herbaceous plant community described in State 1 Phase 1.3. A diverse seed mixture of grasses, forbs and shrubs would provide similar habitat conditions as described in State 1 phase 1.1, 1.2 or 1.4. A monoculture of non-native grass species would not support diverse populations of native insects, reptiles, birds or mammals. Sagebrush obligate animal species would not be supported with a monoculture of grass species. Grassland animal species including western meadowlark, horned lark, savannah sparrow, deer mouse, kangaroo rat and elk would utilize this site for nesting and/or foraging. Birds of prey including hawks and falcons may range throughout these areas looking for prey species.


Grazing Interpretations.

This site is best suited for grazing by domestic livestock in late spring, summer and fall.
Estimated initial stocking rate will be determined with the landowner or decision-maker. They will be based on the inventory which includes species, composition, similarity index, production, past use history, season of use and seasonal preference. Calculations used to determine estimated initial stocking rate will be based on forage preference ratings

Hydrological functions

Soils on this site are in hydrologic group C. When hydrologic condition of vegetation cover is good, natural erosion hazard is slight.

Recreational uses

This site has many spring and summer blooming forbs and shrubs. Hunting for small game, big game and upland game birds is good to excellent. Snowmobiling has good potential during most winter seasons.

Wood products

None

Other products

None

Other information

Field Offices

Weiser, ID
Emmett, ID
Mountain Home, ID
Meridian, ID
Cascade, ID

Inventory data references

Information presented here has been derived from NRCS clipping and other inventory data. Also, field knowledge of range-trained personnel was used. Those involved in developing this site description include: Dave Franzen, co-owner, Intermountain Rangeland Consultants, LLC Jacy Gibbs, co-owner, Intermountain Rangeland Consultants, LLC Jim Cornwell, Range Management Specialist, IASCD Brendan Brazee, State Rangeland Management Specialist, NRCS, Idaho Lee Brooks, Range Management Specialist, IASCD Leah Juarros, Resource Soil Scientist, NRCS, Idaho

Type locality

Other references

Hironaka, M., M.A. Fosberg, A. H. Winward. 1983. Sagebrush- Grass Habitat Types of Southern Idaho. University of Idaho. Moscow, Idaho. Bulletin Number 35
USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 2004. Restoring Western Ranges and Wildlands. General Technical Report RMRS-GTR-136-vols. 1-3.
USDA, NRCS.2001. The PLANTS Database, Version 3.1 (http://plants.usda.gov.). National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70874-4490 USA
USDA, Forest Service, Fire Effects Information Database. 2004. www.fs.fed.us/database.
USDI Bureau of Land Management, US Geological Survey; USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Agricultural Research Service; Interpreting Indicators of Rangeland Health. Technical Reference 1734-6; version 4-2005.

Approval

Kendra Moseley, 9/23/2020

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