Habitat management for surrogate species has mixed effects on non-target species in the sagebrush steppe

摘要: Management by surrogate species assumes that management prescriptions for the (target) have no net negative impacts on non-target with similar life history characteristics. We examined effects of mechanical manipulations sagebrush-steppe designed to reduce cover and improve greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) (here, target species) habitat quality 9 non-target, sagebrush-associated bird up 4 years after treatment manipulations. Two specific presumptions surrogacy were evaluated: 1) loss local extirpation) any is expected in area given characteristics species; 2) change populations abundance) should mirror those species, which typically implies at best an increase or worst a neutral response treatment. grouped analysis into 3 categories based strength their respective associations sagebrush (sagebrush-steppe obligate, sagebrush-associated, steppe associated). The first category was composed met criteria sage-grouse, second intermediate, third did not meet criteria. surveyed birds treated reference areas presence–absence estimated abundances using distance sampling. conditional generalized linear mixed modeling approach; model extirpation likelihoods modeled abundance conditioned being present post-treatment. Sagebrush treatments had effect probabilities 1–4 post-treatment (P = 0.99). Models fit data indicated small but significant (P = 0.031) reduction overall areas. Abundance responses within groupings (e.g., obligate) lacked consistency, indicating benefits are evaluated rather than group level. © 2014 Wildlife Society.