Animal community

Animal Community – Wildlife Interpretations

Landscape

The MLRA 54 landscape is characterized by old, moderately dissected rolling plains with areas of local badlands, buttes, and isolated hills. MLRA 54 is considered to have a continental climate with cold winters and hot summers, low humidity, light rainfall, and much sunshine. Extremes in temperature are common and characteristic of MLRA 54. This area supports natural mixed-grass prairie vegetation with prairie rose, leadplant, and patches of western snowberry interspersed throughout the area. Green ash, chokecherry, and buffaloberry occur in draws and narrow valleys, creating woody riparian corridors. Complex and intermingled ecological sites create diverse grass and shrub land habitats interspersed with varying densities linear, slope, depressional, and in-stream wetlands associated with headwater streams and tributaries to the Missouri River. These habitats provide critical life-cycle components for many wildlife species.

Historic Communities/Conditions within MLRA:

The northern mixed-grass prairie was a disturbance-driven ecosystem with fire, herbivory, and climate functioning as the primary ecological drivers, either singly or often in combination. Many species of grassland birds, small mammals, insects, reptiles, amphibians, and herds of roaming American bison, elk, and pronghorn were historically among the inhabitants adapted to this semi-arid region. Roaming herbivores, as well as several small mammal and insect species, were the primary consumers linking the grassland resources to large predators such as the wolf, mountain lion, and grizzly bear and smaller carnivores such as the coyote, bobcat, red fox, and raptors. The black-tailed prairie dog was once abundant and provided ecological services by manipulating the plant and soil community providing habitat for the black-footed ferret, burrowing owl, ferruginous hawk, mountain plover, swift fox, small mammals, and amphibians and reptiles. Extirpated species include free-ranging American bison, grizzly bear, gray wolf, black-footed ferret, mountain plover, and peregrine falcon (breeding). Extinct from the region is the Rocky Mountain locust.

Present Communities/Conditions within MLRA:

Following European influence, domestic livestock grazing, elimination of fire, energy development, and other anthropogenic factors influenced plant community composition and abundance. Agriculture, transportation corridors, and energy development are the main factors that contribute to habitat fragmentation, which reduces habitat quality for area-sensitive species. These influences fragmented the landscape, reduced or eliminated ecological drivers (fire), and introduced exotic plant species including smooth brome, crested wheatgrass, Kentucky bluegrass, and leafy spurge, further impacting plant and animal communities. The loss of the bison, black-tailed prairie dogs, and fire as primary ecological drivers greatly influenced the character of the remaining native plant communities and the associated wildlife moving towards a less diverse and more homogeneous landscape.

Included in this MLRA are the isolated Killdeer Mountains containing bur oak, quaking aspen, green ash, paper birch, river birch, and American elm. Except for floodplain forests within the MRLA, the Killdeer Mountains contain the largest deciduous forest in southwestern North Dakota.

Some wildlife species in this area are mule deer, white-tailed deer, elk, pronghorn, coyote, red fox, and bobcat. The area also is home to the prairie rattlesnake, American badger, raccoon, North American porcupine, beaver, striped skunk, American mink, and the white-tailed jackrabbit. Black-tailed prairie dog, Eastern and Merriam’s turkey, golden eagle, ferruginous hawks, sharp-tailed grouse, greater prairie-chicken, and black-billed magpie are also in this ecological site, along with numerous species of grassland-nesting birds and pollinating insects.

The presence of wildlife species is often determined by ecological site characteristics, including grass and forb species, hydrology, aspect, and other associated ecological sites. Home ranges of most species are larger than one ecological site or are dependent upon more than one ecological site for annual life requisites. Ecological sites offer different habitat elements as the annual life requisites change. Habitat improvement and creation must be conducted within the mobility limits of a known population for the species.

Insects play an important role providing ecological services for plant community development. Insects that are scavengers or aid in decomposition provide the food chain baseline sustaining the carnivorous insects feeding upon them. Many insects provide the ecological services necessary for pollination, keeping plant communities healthy and productive. Insects provide a protein food source for numerous species, including grassland-nesting birds and their young.

Species unique to MLRA 54:

Bald Eagle: Bald Eagles prefer large rivers, lakes, reservoirs, or wetlands that are bordered by mature stands of trees or a single large tree. Mature trees, including cottonwoods, provide nesting sites adjacent to aquatic and upland foraging sites.

Dakota skipper: The extreme northern portion of this MLRA provides limited Dakota skipper habitat, which in MLRA 54 is considered Type B habitat. The Type B habitat is described as rolling native-prairie terrain over gravelly glacial moraine deposits dominated by bluestems and needlegrasses with the likely presence of bluebell bellflower, wood lily, purple coneflower, upright prairie coneflower, and blanket flower. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service lists two critical habitat units within the MLRA in McKenzie County, North Dakota.

Golden eagle: The Lake Sakakawea breaks, bluffs, and rock outcroppings within the northwest portion of the MRLA 54 are key areas for Golden eagle nesting. Grasslands, shrublands, and black-tailed prairie dog towns are used for foraging.

Black-footed ferret: Black-footed ferrets have been reintroduced as an experimental population in the southern portion of the MLRA located on the Cheyenne Sioux Indian Reservation. Since reintroduction between 1991 and 1996, black-footed ferrets have been documented on the Standing Rock Sioux Indian Reservation approximately 20 miles north of the reintroduction site. Black-footed ferrets rely exclusively on prairie dog towns for shelter, breeding, and food sources (prairie dogs and other species within the town).

Least tern (Interior): Least terns are found on the Missouri River system in MLRA 54. Sparsely vegetated sandbars within the free-flowing portions of the Missouri River or shorelines of Lake Oahe and Sakakawea are used for nesting and foraging.

Species of Concern within MLRA 54:

The following is a list of species considered “species of conservation priority” in the North Dakota State Wildlife Action Plan (2015); “species of greatest conservation need” in the Montana State Wildlife Action Plan (2015); and South Dakota State Wildlife Action Plan (2014); and species listed as “threatened, endangered, or petitioned” under the Endangered Species Act within MLRA 54 at the time this section was developed:

Invertebrates: Dakota skipper, little white tiger beetle, monarch butterfly, Ottoe skipper, regal fritillary, yellow-banded bumble bee, and western bumble bee

Birds: American Kestrel, Baird’s sparrow, bald eagle, black-billed cuckoo, black tern, bobolink, Brewer’s sparrow, burrowing owl, chestnut-collared longspur, ferruginous hawk, golden eagle, grasshopper sparrow, greater prairie-chicken, lark bunting, loggerhead shrike, least tern, long-billed curlew, marbled godwit, McCown’s longspur, mountain plover, northern goshawk, northern harrier, northern pintail, peregrine falcon (migration), piping plover, prairie falcon, red-headed woodpecker, red knot (migration), sharp-tailed grouse, short-eared owl, Sprague’s pipit, Swainson’s hawk, trumpeter swan, upland sandpiper, western meadowlark, willet, Wilson’s phalarope, and whooping crane (migration).

Mammals: Big and little brown bats, long-eared bat, long-legged bat, northern long-eared bat, Townsend’s big-eared bat, western small-footed bat, black-footed ferret, black-tailed prairie dog, dwarf shrew, gray wolf, hispid pocket mouse, Merriam’s shrew, northwestern moose, sagebrush vole, silver-haired bat, and swift fox

Amphibians and Reptiles: Common snapping turtle, Great Plains toad, false map turtle, greater short-horned lizard, milk snake, northern leopard frog, plains hognose snake, plains spadefoot, sagebrush lizard, smooth green snake, and smooth softshell and spiny softshell turtle.

Fish and Mussels: Blue sucker, burbot, flathead chub, fragile papershell, northern redbelly dace, paddlefish, pallid sturgeon, pearl dace, pink papershell, shortnose gar, sickle-fin chub, sturgeon chub, and sauger.

Grassland Management for Wildlife in the MLRA

Management activities within the community phase pathways impact wildlife. Community phase, transitional, and restoration pathways are keys to long-term management within each State and between States. Significant inputs must occur to cross the threshold between States (e.g. State 3.0 to 2.0) requiring substantial economic inputs and management (mechanical, reseeding, prescribed fire, woody vegetation removal, grazing intensity, etc.). Timing, intensity, and frequency of these inputs can have dramatic positive or negative effects on local wildlife species. Ranchers and other land managers must always consider the long-term beneficial effects of management on the habitat in comparison to potential short-term negative effects to individuals.

Ecological sites occur as intermingled complexes on the landscape with gradual or sometimes abrupt transitions. Rarely do ecological sites exist in large enough acreage to manage independently. Ecological sites supporting a dominance of herbaceous vegetation (loamy/limy residual) can be located adjacent to ecological sites that support medium to tall shrubs (loamy overflow or shallow). Conversely, ecological sites that are dominated by short- to mid-statured grasses (claypan) can be adjacent to sites with bare soil only supporting a minor amount of short grasses and forbs (thin claypan).

Management of these complex ecological sites can provide a heterogeneous or a homogenous landscape. Grassland bird use reduces as the plant community transitions to a homogenous state. Managers must recognize ecological sites and the complexes in which they occur to properly manage the landscape as a whole. A management regime for one ecological site may negatively impact an adjacent site; e.g., alteration of a grazing regime within a Flat Bottom Wooded Draw ecological site to encourage understory growth may encourage exotic cool-season grasses to increase or dominate an adjacent ecological site.

Life requisites and habitat deficiencies are determined for targeted species. Deficiencies must be addressed along community phase, transitional, and restoration pathways as presented in specific state-and-transition models. Ecological sites should be managed and restored within the site’s capabilities to provide sustainable habitat. Managers also must consider habitat provided by adjacent and intermingled ecological sites for species with home ranges or life requests that cannot be provided by one ecological site.

With populations of many grassland-nesting birds in decline, it is important to maintain these ecological sites in a 1.0 Reference State or the 2.0 Native/Invaded State. Plant communities, optimal for a guild of grassland species, serve as a population source where the birth rate exceeds mortality. Species may use marginal plant communities; however, these sites may function as a population sink where mortality exceeds the birth rate.

Understanding preferred vegetative stature and sensitivity to woody encroachment is necessary to manage for the specific grassland species. Various grass heights may be used for breeding, nesting, foraging, or winter habitat. While most species use varying heights, many have a preferred vegetative stature height. The following chart provides preferred vegetative stature heights and sensitivity to woody vegetation encroachment.

More information:
https://efotg.sc.egov.usda.gov/references/public/ND/54_Shallow_Loamy_Narrative_FINAL_Ref_FSG.pdf

Shallow Loamy Wildlife Habitat Interpretation:

Shallow Loamy Ecological Sites are characterized by having weathered bedrock, shale, or strongly cemented silicate within 10 – 20 inches of the soil surface. Associated ecological sites include very shallow, loamy, shallow sandy, claypan, sandy, thin claypan, and limy residual. This complex of ecological sites provides habitat for many edge-sensitive grassland bird species. Shallow Loamy habitat features support nesting and foraging grassland birds, but may be too dense and tall for sharp-tailed grouse and greater prairie-chicken leks.

Shallow Loamy Ecological Sites may be found in four plant community states (1.0 Reference State, 2.0 Native/Invaded State, 3.0 Invaded State, and 4.0 Go-Back State). Multiple plant community phases exist within States 1.0 and 2.0. These states occur primarily in response to grazing, drought, and non-use. Secondary influences include black-tailed prairie dogs, fire, and anthropogenic disturbances.

Because there is no known restoration pathway from State 2.0 to State 1.0, it is important to intensively manage using tools in State 1.0 and State 2.0 community phase pathways to prevent further plant community degradation along either the T1A Transitional Pathway to Native/Invaded State 2.0 or T2A Transitional Pathway to Invaded State 3.0 thresholds. Native wildlife generally benefits from a heterogeneous grassland, in stature and plant composition, found in Community Phases 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 2.2, and 2.3 that include diverse grass and forb species with varying stature and density. As plant communities degrade within State 2.0, warm-season grasses, particularly short-statured grasses, increase while native forbs are reduced. This transition results in reduced stature, increased plant community homogeneity, and reduced insect populations, resulting in a reduction of breeding, nesting, foraging, or winter habitat for grassland birds. When adjacent and intermingled ecological sites undergo the same transition, the result can be an expansive, homogenous landscape.

Success along Restoration Pathway R3A from State 3.0 to State 2.0 is very difficult and is dependent upon presence of a remnant native grass population. This concept also applies to wildlife as the target species must either be present on adjacent State 1.0 or State 2.0 plant communities or ecological sites within the mobility limits of the species. Species with limited mobility, such as Dakota skippers, must exist near the plant community to utilize restored sites. Mobile species, such as grassland-nesting birds, can more easily locate isolated, restored plant communities.

Plant community phases within the State 3.0 show dramatically increased homogeneity of exotic cool-season grasses, and further reduction in native forbs. Reduced forb diversity limits insect populations, negatively affecting foraging opportunities for grassland-nesting birds. Shallow Loamy sites can have pockets of buffaloberry and when in high enough density may impact shrub intolerant grassland nesting birds. Increased exotic-grass litter can limit access to bare ground by nesting insects. A homogenous grassland landscape does not provide quality escape or winter cover. As a result, many species are not able to meet life requisites within State 3.0.

Management along community phase, transition, or restoration pathways should focus upon attainable changes. Short- and long-term monetary costs must be evaluated against short- and long-term ecological services in creating and maintaining habitat of sufficient quality to support a sustainable population.

1.0 Reference State

Community Phase 1.1: Needlegrasses-Little Bluestem-Blue grama: This plant community offers excellent wildlife habitat and every effort should be made to maintain this ecological site within this community phase. This phase retains high functionality through continued maintenance, including prescribed grazing with adequate recovery period as well as prescribed fire. Predominance of grass species in this community favors grazers and mixed-feeders (animals selecting grasses as well as forbs and shrubs). The structural diversity provides habitat for a wide array of migratory and resident birds.

Invertebrates: Insects play a role in maintaining the forb community and provide a forage base for grassland birds, reptiles, and rodents. Ecological services, historically provided by bison, are simulated by domestic livestock. These services include putting plant material and dung in contact with mineral soil to be used by low trophic level consumers such as invertebrate decomposers, scavengers, shredders, predators, herbivores, dung beetles, and fungal-feeders.

This site is potential Dakota skipper habitat in the northern portion of the MLRA since it does provide little bluestem host plant. Regal fritillary habitat is limited due to the rarity of Nuttall's violet and prairie violets. Monarch butterflies may use flowering forbs on this site, however, few milkweed species are found on this site to support breeding and larvae development. The Shallow Loamy ecological site does not provide habitat for the little white tiger beetles, which prefer large, active choppy sands ecological site or sand beaches or for the Ottoe Skipper which prefers mid- to tall-statured grasses. Bumblebees and other native bees utilize forbs as a nectar source and bare ground for nesting sites in bunchgrasses. Prescribed grazing with adequate recovery periods, as well as prescribed fire, to maintain the 1.1 Phase, has little effect on nests of ground-dwelling insects.

Birds: This plant community provides quality nesting, foraging, and escape habitats favored by short- to midgrass-nesting birds. Plant statures may be suitable for burrowing owl and McCown’s longspur, especially during periods of drought or management such as rotational grazing or fire that results in defoliation along Community Phase Pathway 1.1A. The low, scattered shrubs present in the plant community phase should not impact woody vegetation-sensitive bird species.

Grassland birds that prefer mid-grass stature will use this site. In years with reduced precipitation or drought, nesting recruitment may be compromised. This plant community provides suitable areas for sharp-tailed grouse and greater prairie-chicken leks, nesting, and brood-rearing habitat. Limited stature and diverse prey populations provide good hunting opportunities for grassland raptors.

Mammals: The diversity of grasses and forbs provide high nutrition levels for small and large herbivores including voles, mice, rodents, jackrabbits, pronghorn, and white-tailed deer and mule deer. Short- to moderate-statured provides suitable food and thermal, protective, and escape cover for small herbivores such as the hispid pocket mouse.

Amphibians and Reptiles: This ecological site and associated plant communities provides habitat for smooth green snakes. The Shallow Loamy ecological site can provide habitat for the northern leopard frog and Great Plains toad if freshwater habitat such as stock water ponds are located in or adjacent to the site.

Fish and Mussels: This ecological site is not directly associated with streams, rivers, or water bodies. Associated ecological sites, such as loamy overflow, can receive run-on hydrology from loamy sites. Management on these interconnected sites will have limited, secondary effects on aquatic species.

Community Phase 1.2 Needlegrasses-Western Wheatgrass-Blue Grama/Sedges: Long-term drought with or without heavy grazing, and long-term grazing will switch this plant community from cool-season bunchgrasses to cool-season rhizomatous and grasses and short-statured warm-season grasses.

Invertebrates: Provides similar life requisites as Community Phase 1.1; however, long-term, heavy grazing may negatively impact ground-nesting sites for bumble bees, other native bees and other ground-nesting insects due to reduction of forbs, timing of forb flowering, or increased soil compaction.

Birds: This plant community provides quality nesting, foraging, and escape habitats favored by shortgrass-nesting birds. A shift to shorter plant stature along Community Phase Pathway 1.1A benefits McCown’s longspur, chestnut-collared longspur, horned lark, and burrowing owl. Species that prefer midgrass stature will be generally successful with normal to above normal precipitation and a change in management along the 1.2A Community Phase Pathway. In years with reduced precipitation or heavy grazing, nesting recruitment may be compromised for midgrass-nesting species. This plant community provides areas suitable for sharp-tailed grouse and greater prairie-chicken leks. Moderate cover and diverse prey populations provide good hunting opportunities for grassland raptors.

Mammals: Provides similar life requisites as Community Phase 1.1.

Amphibians and Reptiles: Provides similar life requisites as Community Phase 1.1.

Fish and Mussels: Provides similar life requisites as Community Phase 1.1.

Community Phase 1.3 Little Bluestem-Needleandthread/Sedges: Downslope soil movement forms “steps” increasing the amount of calcium carbonate at the soil surface favoring an increase in little bluestem. This plant community occurs in a mosaic with Community Phase 1.1, creating a patchwork landscape.

Invertebrates: Provides similar life requisites as Community Phase 1.1. However, this Community Phase provide increased Dakota skipper habitat due to the increased presence of the little bluestem host plant.

Birds: Provides similar life requisites as Community Phase 1.1.

Mammals: Provides similar life requisites as Community Phase 1.1.

Amphibians/Reptiles: Provides similar life requisites as Community Phase 1.1.

Fish and Mussels: Provides similar life requisites as Community Phase 1.1.

Community Phase 1.4 Blue Grama/Annual Forbs/Sedges: This plant community phase is characterized by grazing-tolerant species and annual forbs. Continued heavy grazing, short-term prairie dog occupation, or a combination of these disturbances will shift to increased annual forbs with a reduction in perennial grasses. The stature and abundance of perennial forbs are being replaced by short-statured annual forbs. Bare ground increases, litter amounts and infiltration rates decline, while soil surface temperatures increase. This short-statured plant community is resilient, retaining sufficient grazing sensitive native species to return to 1.2 Community Phases via Community Phase Pathway 1.4A.

Invertebrates: A switch to annual forbs from perennial forbs will not have a significant impact to invertebrates, but may reduce season-long nectar-producing plants for pollinators. Season-long nectar sources may be found on adjacent plant communities or ecological sites for mobile species. Increased bare ground provides increased nesting sites for bumble bees and other ground-nesting insects.

Birds: This short-statured phase, driven by short-term prairie dog occupation, is favored by burrowing owls, chestnut-collared longspur, and McCown’s longspur. Prairie dog towns provide abundant prey populations for grassland raptors. The lack of grass and forb stature limits use by many bird species. Long-term prairie dog occupation following Transitional Phase Pathway T1B leads to the 2.0 State with no known return pathway due to the presence of exotic cool-season grasses. Managing this phase along Community Phase Pathway 1.4A can be an economical and successful method to restore high quality habitat for many grassland-nesting birds.

Mammals: Suitable food, thermal, shelter, and escape cover (reduction in litter) for most mammals becomes limited. The loss of diversity of grasses and forbs reduces nutrition levels for small and large herbivores including rodents, white-tailed jackrabbits, and deer. Grazers, such as pronghorn and bison, use prairie dog towns for foraging and loafing. Long-term prairie dog occupation following Community Phase Pathway T1B leads to the 2.0 State with no known return pathway due to the presence of exotic, cool-season grasses. Managing this phase along Community Phase Pathway 1.4A can be an economical and successful method to restore habitat.

Amphibians and Reptiles: Provides similar life requisites as Community Phase 1.1.

Fish and Mussels: Provides similar life requisites as Community Phase 1.1.

2.0 Native Invaded State

Community Phase 2.1 Needlegrasses-Little Bluestem/Shrubs-Blue Grama: This plant community develops through Transition Pathway T1A, due to changes in management and the presence of exotic, cool-season grasses. The threshold between States 1.0 and 2.0 is crossed when Kentucky bluegrass, crested wheatgrass, smooth brome grass, or other exotic species become established. This plant community phase has a very similar appearance and function to the Reference State of Community 1.1, except it has a minor amount of cool-season exotic grasses and forbs. This phase functions at a high level for native wildlife, therefore, managers should consider the 2.0 community phase pathways to avoid transitioning to State 3.0. Shrubs species tend to be short-statured.

Invertebrates: Provides similar life requisites as Community Phase 1.1.

Birds: Provides similar life requisites as Community Phase 1.1.

Mammals: Provides similar life requisites as Community Phase 1.1.

Amphibians and Reptiles: Provides similar life requisites as Community Phase.1.

Fish and Mussels: Provides similar life requisites as Community Phase 1.1.

Community Phase 2.2 Needlegrasses-Western Wheatgrass-Blue grama/Sedges: Continuous, heavy season-long grazing or heavy seasonal grazing, with drought, along Community Phase Pathway 2.1A leads to loss of little bluestem and in increase in sod-forming western wheatgrass shorter-statured grasses, such as blue grama and sedges. Dominated by shorter-stature grasses the diversity of this plant community is reduced. Prescribed grazing with adequate recovery periods along Community Phase Pathway 2.2A is an efficient, effective method to regain the cool-season grass and forb diversity components in Community Phase 2.1.

Invertebrates: The reduction of native forbs and increase in sod-forming grasses limit foraging and nesting sites for all pollinators. Continuous, heavy season-long grazing or heavy seasonal grazing may reduce ground-nesting site availability. Homogeneity of forb species may limit season-long nectar availability.

Birds: Continuous, heavy season-long grazing or heavy seasonal grazing will reduce nesting sites, forage (invertebrates), and cover. A reduced forb component may limit foraging opportunities. The stature is generally short, serving both mid- and short-grass nesting birds.. Species that prefer mid-grass stature generally will be successful with normal to above normal precipitation and a change in management along the 2.2A Community Phase Pathway. In years with reduced precipitation or heavy grazing during the nesting season, use by mid-grass nesting species may be compromised. This plant community provides areas suitable for sharp-tailed grouse lek site development. Limited stature and diverse prey populations provide good hunting opportunities for grassland raptors.

Mammals: Suitable food and thermal, protective, and escape cover (reduction in litter) for most mammals become limited. The loss of diversity of grasses and forbs reduces nutrition levels for small and large herbivores including voles, mice, rodents, jackrabbits, pronghorn, and white-tailed and mule deer.

Amphibians and Reptiles: Provides similar life requisites as Community Phase 1.1.

Fish and Mussels: Provides similar life requisites as Community Phase 1.1

Community Phase 2.3 Little Bluestem-Needleandthread/Shrubs/Sedges: This plant community develops through Community Phase Pathway 2.2b due to events such as wind and/or water erosion, drought, pipeline and road installation and livestock trailing. These soil disturbances result in elevated calcium carbonates at the soil surface favoring an increase in little bluestem.

Invertebrates: Provides similar life requisites as Community Phase.1.

Birds: Provides similar life requisites as Community Phase 1.1.

Mammals: Provides similar life requisites as Community Phase 1.1.

Amphibians/Reptiles: Provides similar life requisites as Community Phase.1.

Fish and Mussels: Provides similar life requisites as Community Phase 1.1.

Community Phase 2.4 Blue Grama/Annual Forbs/Sedges: This plant community is a result of ecological services provided by long-term black-tailed prairie dog occupation coupled with the introduction of exotic cool-season grasses and annual forbs along Transitional Pathways T1B and 2.2C. Utilizing one or more tools in Community Phase Pathway 2.4A (e.g., removal of black-tailed prairie dogs, control of exotic perennial forbs, implementation of prescribed grazing) can move this community back to Phase 2.2, but this may require significant management and economic inputs. Black-tailed prairie dogs provide primary ecological services to transition to and maintain Plant Community Phase 2.4.

Invertebrates: The loss of native forb diversity limits use by all pollinators. However, annual and invasive forbs will provide limited seasonal use, dependent upon bloom period. Bare ground, burrows, and short plant stature provide nest sites for bumblebees and other ground-nesting insects. Burrowing owls place dung around their burrow entrance to attract dung beetles and other insects as a food source.

Birds: Burrowing owl and McCown’s longspur rely on the stature and composition this plant community provides. Presence of black-tailed prairie dogs provided diverse prey populations for grassland raptors, including burrowing owls, prairie falcons, and ferruginous hawks. Burrowing owls nest in abandoned prairie dog burrows.

Mammals: Suitable food and thermal, protective, and escape cover (reduction in litter) for most mammals becomes limited. The loss of grass and forb diversity reduces nutrition levels for small and large herbivores including voles, mice, rodents, white-tailed jackrabbits, cottontail rabbits, and deer. Except for black-tailed prairie dogs, this plant community provides little habitat for mid- or small herbivores. Nonetheless, black-tailed prairie dog towns provide important habitat for many mammal species, including small rodents. Grazers such as pronghorn and bison use prairie dog towns for foraging and loafing.

Amphibians and Reptiles: Prairie dog towns provide habitat for both amphibians and reptiles. Tiger salamanders, prairie rattlesnakes, and other snake species will use the burrow systems of prairie dogs for shelter and denning.

Fish and Mussels: Provides similar life requisites as Community Phase 1.1.

3.0 Invaded State

Community Phase 3.1 Exotic grasses/Forbs/Shrubs: Community Phase Pathway T2A is characterized by non-use or low intensity (<20% utilization) grazing and elimination of fire when exotic cool-season grasses are present as in Community Phase 2.0. This plant community phase is characterized by a dominance (>30%) of exotic cool-season grasses such as Kentucky bluegrass, crested wheatgrass, and smooth bromegrass. Restoration Pathway R3A requires remnant amounts of native warm- (i.e. blue grama, red threeawn, and plains muhly) and cool-season grasses (e.g. needlegrasses, western wheatgrass, and prairie Junegrass) and forbs (e.g. cudweed sagewort, silverleaf scurfpea, and prairie coneflower).

The remnant native community needs frequent prescribed burns and high levels of grazing management targeting the exotic cool-season grasses to improve competitiveness and increase vigor and density. Without intensive management, the remnant native plants will not increase adequately to transition back to State 2.0. Intensified management along the R3A Pathway will have significant short-term negative impacts on wildlife habitat, however, this is necessary to restore long-term native habitat functions.

Invertebrates: Exotic grasses result from non-use or low intensity (<20% utilization) grazing, limits use by beneficial insects provided in States 1.0 and 2.0. Increased litter and lack of grazing leads to limited contact between plant material and mineral soil resulting in a cooler microclimate, which is unfavorable to most insects. Lack of bare soil limits ground-nesting sites for native bees and other ground-nesting insects. The lack of nectar-producing plants limits forage opportunities for bumblebees, regal fritillary, monarch butterfly, and other pollinating species.

Birds: The homogeneous community phase, dominated by exotic plant species, provides limited habitat and life requisites for most obligate grassland-nesting birds. Lack of plant diversity and stature, along with increased litter and the tendency of Kentucky bluegrass and smooth bromegrass to lay down, limits use by many grassland-nesting birds. Litter accumulations reduce use by chestnut-collared and McCown’s longspurs. Burrowing owls may use the site if sufficient burrows of black-tailed prairie dogs or other burrowing mammals. Sharp-tailed grouse and greater prairie-chicken leks can be found on this exotic cool-season plant-dominated community, however, winter cover must be provided by adjacent ecological sites or plant communities.

Mammals: Black-tailed prairie dog expansion is possible in this plant community phase except were dominated by western snowberry. This community phase provides foraging habitat for pronghorn and deer. Litter accumulation and shrub cover favors thermal, protective, and escape cover for small rodents. However, reduced availability of native grass seed may reduce food availability for species such as the hispid pocket mouse.

Amphibians and Reptiles: Provides similar life requisites as Community Phase 1.1.

Fish and Mussels: Provides similar life requisites as Community Phase 1.1.

4.0 Go-Back State

Community Phase 4.1 Annual/Pioneer Perennial/: These plant communities are the result of severe soil disturbance such as cropping, recreational activity, or concentrated livestock activity for a prolonged time period. Following cessation of disturbances, the resulting plant community is dominated by early pioneer annual and perennial plant species. Plant species composition and production is highly variable. Weedy plants can provide pollinator habitat along with spring and summer cover for many mammals, birds and their young. Dense weed cover can keep soils moist, increasing insect presence. Tall stature provided by some weeds such as marsh elder and ragweed offer thermal cover and seeds throughout winter.

Successful restoration of native species along Transition Pathway R4B results in a native grass and forb community in State 2.0. Failed restoration to native species through Restoration Pathway R4A results in Invaded State 3.0. The response by wildlife species will be dependent upon plant community composition, vegetative stature, patch size, and management activities, such as prescribed grazing, burning, inter-seeding, haying, or noxious weed control.

Animal Community – Grazing Interpretations

This site is well adapted to managed grazing by domestic livestock. The predominance of herbaceous plants across all plant community phases best lends these sites to grazing by cattle but other domestic grazers with differing diet preferences may also be a consideration depending upon management objectives. Often, the current plant community does not entirely match any particular plant community (as described in the ecological site description). Because of this, a resource inventory is necessary to document plant composition and production. Proper interpretation of this inventory data will permit the establishment of a safe, initial stocking rate for the type and class of animals and level of grazing management. More accurate stocking rate estimates should eventually be calculated using actual stocking rate information and monitoring data.

Grazing levels are noted within the plant community narratives and pathways in reference to grazing prescribed grazing management. “Degree of utilization” is defined as the proportion of the current years forage production that is consumed and/or destroyed by grazing animals (may refer to a single plant species or a portion or all the vegetation). “Grazing utilization” is classified as slight, moderate, full, close, and severe (see the following table for description of each grazing use category). The following utilization levels are also described in the Ranchers Guide to Grassland Management IV. Utilization levels are determined by using the landscape appearance method as outlined in the Interagency Technical Reference “Utilization Studies and Residual Measurements” 1734-3.

Utilization Level % Use Description
Slight (Light) 0-20 Appears practically undisturbed when viewed obliquely. Only choice areas and forage utilized.

Moderate 20-40 Almost all of accessible range shows grazing. Little or no use of poor forage. Little evidence of trailing to grazing.

Full 40-60 All fully accessible ares are grazed. The major sites have key forage species properly utilized (about half taken, half left). Points of concentration with overuse limited to 5 to 10 percent of accessible area.

Close (Heavy) 60-80 All accessible range plainly shows use and major sections closely cropped. Livestock forced to use less desirable forage, considering seasonal preference.

Severe > 80 Key forage species completely used. Low-value forages are dominant.

Hydrological functions

Available water is the principal factor limiting forage production on this site. This site is dominated by soils in hydrologic group D. Infiltration is typically moderate to moderately slow and runoff potential for this site varies from low to very high depending on surface texture, slope percent, and ground cover. In many cases, areas with greater than 75% ground cover have the greatest potential for high infiltration and lower runoff. An example of an exception would be where shortgrasses form a strong sod and dominate the site. Dominance by blue grama, Kentucky bluegrass, and/or smooth bromegrass will result in reduced infiltration and increased runoff. Areas where ground cover is less than 50% have the greatest potential to have reduced infiltration and higher runoff (refer to Section 4, NRCS National Engineering Handbook for runoff quantities and hydrologic curves).

Recreational uses

The largest acreage of public land available for recreation in the MLRA is owned and managed by the United States Forest Service (USFS) within the Little Missouri, Grand River, and Cedar River National Grasslands in South Dakota and the Little Missouri National Grasslands in North Dakota (687,398 acres). These areas are available for hunting, fishing, hiking, camping, horse and bike riding, nature viewing, etc. In addition, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) manages (40,264 acres) in North and South Dakota with the same recreational opportunities as the USFS lands.

The United States Army Corps of Engineers (USAE) owns 496,162 acres of land and water located on and adjacent to Lake Sakakawea and Lake Oahe. The North Dakota and South Dakota Game and Fish Departments manage the fisheries resources. These two Missouri River reservoirs provide excellent fishing and water recreation opportunities. In addition, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) manages a national fish hatchery below Garrison Dam.

The USFWS manages 36,858 acres in the National Wildlife Refuge system while the North Dakota and South Dakota wildlife management agencies manage 72,218 acres as wildlife or game management areas. The North Dakota, South Dakota, and Montana Department of Trust Lands manage 486,482 acres. These areas provide hunting, bird watching, hiking, and other outdoor recreation opportunities. North Dakota Wildlife Management Areas along the shoreline of Lake Sakakawea and the Missouri River account for 60,000 acres of the approximately 72,218 acres of land managed by the states for wildlife habitat in MLRA 54. Located in the northern portion of the MLRA, the Killdeer Mountain WMA is the largest tract of state-owned land managed for wildlife habitat at approximately 7,000 acres.

The largest refuge managed by the United States Fish and Wildlife service is Lake Ilo National Wildlife Refuge totaling approximately 4,000 acres. United States Bureau of Reclamation manages approximately 11,000 acres at Lake Tschida and 8,460 acres at Bowman-Haley Lake for fish and wildlife habitat. The National Park Service manages the Knife River Indian Village National Historic Site; the North Dakota Historical Society manages the Double Ditch Indian Village site.

Bird watching: Public and private grasslands within MLRA 54 provide essential habitat for prairie- dependent bird species (such as Sprague's pipits, western meadowlark, and Baird's sparrow) along with some of the larger, showy members of the upland prairie include marbled godwits, upland sandpipers, willets, and sharp-tailed grouse. Publicly owned lands provide excellent birding opportunities. MLRA 54 is in the Central Flyway.

Hunting/Fishing: MLRA 54 is a fall destination for thousands of pheasant and upland game bird hunters. This MLRA also provides excellent deer (white-tailed and mule), pronghorn, and coyote hunting opportunities. Lake Sakakawea, Lake Oahe, Lake Tschida, and the Missouri River provide excellent year-round fishing opportunities. The North Dakota Game and Fish Department and South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks manage approximately 40 fishing lakes within the MLRA. Available species include yellow perch, walleye, northern pike, muskellunge, crappie, bluegill, rainbow trout, and smallmouth bass. Chinook salmon are stocked in Lake Sakakawea.

Camping: Numerous state operated campgrounds are located along the shores of Lake Sakakawea, Lake Oahe, Missouri River, and Shadehill Reservoir. Primitive camping is allowed on Grand River and Cedar River National Grasslands in South Dakota and the Little Missouri National Grasslands in North Dakota. Other numerous camping (primitive and improved) sites are available in numerous city and county parks.

Hiking/Biking/Horseback Riding: Hiking is permitted on most state and federally owned lands. Developed hiking and biking trails can be found on Harmon Lake (13.1 miles), Roughrider Trail (Morton County, 16.5 miles), Missouri River State Natural Area (5 miles), Ft. Abraham Lincoln State Park (8 miles), Cross Ranch State Park (14 miles), Grand River National Grasslands (7 miles), Lake Sakakawea State Park (5 miles), and Lewis & Clark State Park (5 miles). In addition, extensive biking and walking trails are found in local county and city parks. Ft. Abraham Lincoln State Park has 6 miles of horseback trails.

Wood products

No appreciable wood products are found on this site.

Other products

Seed harvest of native plant species can provide additional income on this site.

Other information

Site Development and Testing Plan
• Further investigation is needed on areas with steep or very steep slopes. Slopes range to 70 percent. Effective precipitation is less due to greater runoff as slope increases. Investigation and documentation of the plant communities and biomass production on Shallow Loamy ecological sites with steep and very steep slopes is recommended.
• Further investigation is recommended on soils with silicrete duripans (Farfeld and Sinnigam) Documentation of the plant communities would useful. Also, Sinnigam was established in Cascade County, MT and, as used in ND, appears outside the central series concept as far as parent materials.
• Further evaluation and refinement of the State-and-Transition model may be needed to identify disturbance driven dynamics. Additional states and/or phases may be required to address grazing response.
• Further documentation may be needed for plant communities in all states. Plant data has been collected in previous range-site investigations, including clipping data; however, this data needs review. If geo-referenced sites meeting Tier 3 standards for either vegetative or soil data are not available, representative sites will be selected for further investigation.
• Site concepts will be refined as the above noted investigations are completed.
• NASIS revisions needed:
o One minor Reeder component needs to be relinked from Shallow Loamy to Loamy.
This ESD is the best available knowledge. The site concept and species composition table have been used in the field and tested for more than five years. It is expected that as additional information becomes available revisions may be required.

Inventory data references

Information presented here has been derived from NRCS and other federal/state agency clipping and inventory data. Also, field knowledge of range-trained personnel was used. All descriptions were peer reviewed and/or field-tested by various private, state and federal agency specialists.

Other references

Bakker, K.K. 2003. The effect of woody vegetation on grassland nesting birds: an annotated bibliography. The Proceedings of the South Dakota Academy of Science 82:119-141.

Barker, W.T. and W. C. Whitman. 1988. Vegetation of the northern great plains. Rangelands 10(6): 266-272.

Bjustad, Ardell J. 1965. Vegetation measurements in relation to range condition classification on the principal range sites of southwestern North Dakota. PhD Thesis. N D State University.

Bluemle, John. North Dakota Notes No. 13, North Dakota’s mountainous areas: the Killdeer Mountains and the Turtle Mountains. Accessed on web, April 10, 2017, at https://www.dmr.nd.gov/ndgs/ndnotes/ndn15-h.htm.

Brand, M. D. and H. Goetz. 1986. Vegetation of exclosures in southwestern North Dakota. Journal of Range Management 39: 434-437.

DeKeyser, Shawn, G. Clambey, K. Krabbenhoft and J. Ostendorf. 2009. Are changes in species composition on central North Dakota rangelands due to non-use management? Rangelands 31(6):16-19.

Dodd, J.L. 1970. Distribution and community site relations of bluebunch wheatgrass in North Dakota. PhD Thesis. N D State University. Fargo, North Dakota.

Dyke, S. R., S. K. Johnson, and P.T. Isakson. 2015. North Dakota state wildlife action plan - ND Game and Fish Department.

Ehrenfeld, Joan G. 2002. Effects of exotic plant invasions on soil nutrient cycling processes. Ecosystems 6:503-523.

Endangered and threatened wildlife and plants; designation of critical habitat for the Dakota skipper and Poweshiek skipperling; Vol. 79 No. Final Rule October 1, 2015, 50 CFR Part 17.

Field, A., K. Sedivec, J. Hendrickson, P. Johnson, B. Geaumont, L. Xan, R. Gates, and R. Limb. 2016. Effects of Short-Term Cattle Exclusion on Plant Community Composition: Prairie Dog and Ecological Ste Influences. Rangelands 38(1) pp 34-37.

Flesland, J.R. 1964. Composition and structure of the salt-desert shrub type in the Badlands of western North Dakota. M.S. Thesis. ND State University.

Gilgert, W.; and S. Zack. 2010. Integrating multiple ecosystem services introduction ecological site descriptions; Rangelands 2010 32 (6), pp 49-54.

Hanson, H.C and W. Whitman. 1938. Characteristics of major grassland types in western North Dakota. Ecological Monographs. Vol. 8 No. 1: pp 57-114.

Hendrickson, John R., P. S. Johnson, M. A. Liebig, K. K. Sedivec, and G. A. Halvorson. 2016. Use of ecological sites in managing wildlife and livestock: an example with prairie dogs. Rangelands 38(1): 23-28.

Higgins, Kenneth F. 1984. Lightning Fires in North Dakota grasslands and in pine-savanna lands of South Dakota and Montana. Journal of Range Management 37 (1).

Higgins, K. F., A. D. Kruse, and J. L. Piehl. 1987. Effects of fire in the northern great plains. SDSU Extension Circular Paper 429.

Hirch, K.L. 1985. Habitat type classification of grasslands and shrublands of southwestern North Dakota. Ph.D. Thesis. ND State University.

Mader, E., M. Shepherd, M. Vaughan, and S.H. Black. 2011. Attracting native pollinators: protecting North America's bees and butterflies. Accessed at https://xerces.org, May 1, 2017.

Heitschmidt, R. K., K. D. Klement, and M. R. Haferkamp. 2005. Interactive effects of drought and grazing on northern great plains rangelands. Rangeland Ecology and Management 58: pp 11-19.

Montana’s State Wildlife Action Plan. 2015. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. Viewed at https://xerces.org/ on May 1, 2017.

Printz, Jeffrey L. and John R. Hendrickson. 2015. Impacts of Kentucky bluegrass Invasion (Poa pratensis) on Ecological Processes in the Northern Great Plains. Rangelands 37(6): pp 226-232.

Redmann, Robert E. 1975. Production ecology of grassland plant communities in western North Dakota. Ecological Monographs 45: pp 83-106.

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Sanford, R.C. 1970. Skunk bush in the North Dakota Badlands: Ecology, phytosociology, browse production, and utilization. Ph. D. Thesis. ND State University.

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Sedivec, Kevin K., Jeffrey L. Printz. 2014. Ranchers Guide to Grassland Management IV. NDSU Extension Service publication R1707.

South Dakota Dept. of Game, Fish and Parks. 2014. South Dakota Wildlife Action Plan. Wildlife Division Report 2014-03.
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Toledo, D., M. Sanderson, K. Spaeth, J. Hendrickson, and J. Printz. 2014. Extent of Kentucky bluegrass and its effect on native plant species diversity and ecosystem services in the northern great plains of the United State. Invasive Plant Science and Management 7(4): 543-552.

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United States Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service. 2006.
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USDA, NRCS. National Range and Pasture Handbook, September 1997.

USDA, NRCS. National Soil Information System, Information Technology Center. Accessed on May 1, 2017 at http://nasis.nrcs.usda.gov.

USDA, NRCS. 2001. The PLANTS Database, Version 3.1. http://plants.usda.gov. Accessed May 2, 2017.

USDA, NRCS, Various published soil surveys.

USDI BLM. Utilization Studies and Residual Measurements. Interagency Technical Reference 1734-3. 1999.

Whitman, Warren, E. Helgeson. 1946. Range Vegetation Studies. North Dakota Agricultural Experimentation Bulletin 340.

Whitman, Warren, H. Hanson, and R. Peterson. 1943. Relation of drought and grazing to North Dakota range lands. North Dakota Agricultural Experimentation Bulletin 320.

Zaczkowski, N. K. 1972. Vascular flora of Billings, Bowman, Golden Valley, and Slope counties, North Dakota. Dissertation, ND State University.

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Contributors

ND NRCS: David Dewald, Jonathan Fettig, Jody Forman, Mike Gerbig, Alan Gulsvig, Mark Hayek, Jeanne Heilig, John Kempenich, Chuck Lura, Jeff Printz, Steve Sieler, and Hal Weiser.

Approval

Suzanne Mayne-Kinney, 3/31/2025

Acknowledgments

NRCS would like to acknowledge the United State Forest Service (USFS) and National Park Service (NPS) for access to USFS properties and technical assistance in ESD development. USFS: Jack Dahl, Nickole Dahl, and Chad Prosser.

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