Mary M. Rowland

US Forest Service | FS · Pacific Northwest Research Station

Widespread degradation of the sagebrush ecosystem in the western United States, including the invasion of cheatgrass, has prompted resource managers to consider a variety of approaches to restore and conserve habitats for sagebrush-associated species. One such approach involves the use of greater sage-grouse, a species of prominent conservation int...

Information about status and trend of wildlife habitat is important for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service to accomplish its mission and meet its legal requirements. As the steward of 193 million acres (ac) of Federal land, the Forest Service needs to evaluate the status of wildlife habitat and how it compares with desired condition...

Studies of habitat selection and use by wildlife, especially large herbivores, are foundational for understanding their ecology and management, especially if predictors of use represent habitat requirements that can be related to demography or fitness. Many ungulate species serve societal needs as game animals or subsistence foods, and also can aff...

Modeling landscape use (i.e., estimating the probability or relative probability of use, occurrence, or selection in a given area and time) by ungulates is an increasingly common and important practice in research and management. Models of occupancy, distribution, movement, habitat use, and resource selection are formal approaches by which landscap...

Sport hunting of ungulates is a predominant recreational pursuit and the primary tool for managing their populations in North America and beyond, given its influence on ungulate distributions, social organization, and population performance. Similarly, land management, such as motorized vehicle access, influences ungulate distributions during and o...

Elk ( Cervus canadensis ) are the second largest member of the deer family that reside in North America. Historically, the species occupied most of North America, however, today, they occupy only a small proportion of that range. Across their historical and contemporary distribution, they occupied diverse vegetation communities including both range...

Rangelands may offer valuable habitat for invertebrate wildlife, helping conserve ecologically and economically significant organisms, like native bees. In some systems, livestock may affect bees by consuming or trampling blooming plants that bees rely on for food. One potential way to reduce potential negative effects of livestock on bees is to de...

There is an increasing need to understand how animals respond to modifications of their habitat following landscape‐scale disturbances such as wildfire or timber harvest. Such disturbances can promote increased use by herbivores due to changes in plant community structure that improve forage conditions, but can also cause avoidance if other habitat...

DNA metabarcoding of pollen is a useful tool for studying bee foraging ecology. However, several questions about this method remain unresolved, including the extent to which sequence read data is quantitative, which type of sequence count removal threshold to use and how that choice affects our ability to detect rare flower visits, and how sequence...

The pursuit of ungulates as game animals, whether for recreation, cultural tradition, or meat, is a dominant activity on public and private lands in North America and much of the world. Strategic regulation of hunting is key for managing game population abundance, age and sex structure, and distribution, with harvest rates a function of both hunter...

The behavioral mechanisms by which predators encounter prey are poorly resolved. In particular, the extent to which predators engage in active search for prey versus incidentally encountering them has not been well studied in many systems and particularly not for neonate prey during the birth pulse. Parturition of many large herbivores occurs durin...

Consistent with a warming climate, the timing of key phenological phases (i.e., phenophases) for many plant species is shifting, but the direction and extent of these shifts remain unclear. For large herbivores such as ungulates, altered plant phenology can have important nutritional and demographic consequences. We used two multi-year datasets col...

Consistent with a warming climate, the timing of key phenological phases (i.e. phenophases) for many plant species is shifting, but the direction and extent of these shifts remain unclear. For large herbivores such as ungulates, altered plant phenology can have important nutritional and demographic consequences. We used two multi-year datasets coll...

Understanding the extent to which predators engage in active search for prey versus incidentally encountering them is important because active search can exert a stabilizing force on prey populations by alleviating predation pressure on low-density prey and increasing it for high-density prey. Parturition of many large herbivores occurs during a sh...

There is a growing interest and investment in restoring riparian areas in the Pacific Northwest to protect biodiversity and water quality, and to restore quality habitat for threatened fish species. However, these management activities change vegetation conditions and potentially impact terrestrial species in these ecosystems. Our objective was to...

Prey respond to predation risk with a range of behavioral tactics that can vary based on space use and hunting mode of the predator. Unlike other predators, human hunters are often more spatially and temporally restricted, which creates a period of short-duration, high-intensity predation risk for prey. Consequently , identifying the roles differen...

The behavioral mechanisms by which predators encounter prey are poorly resolved. In particular, the extent to which predators engage in active search for prey versus incidentally encountering them is unknown. The distinction between search and incidental encounter influences prey population dynamics with active search exerting a stabilizing force o...

Recreation ecology has its foundations in the premise that recreationists have a negative impact on ecosystems, and are thus treated as an ecological stressor. However, ecology is the study of interactions between organisms and the environment, not just an organism's impacts on the environment. While we do not dispute the evidence that recreationis...

This report summarizes the findings of the scoping phase of a collaborative project undertaken by the US Forest Service and the Northern Rangelands Trust in Kenya to conduct a regional assessment of rangeland programs in East Africa, with a focus on community-based rangeland management.

Significance An incomplete understanding of the total influence competitively dominant predators exert on subordinate species hinders our ability to anticipate the effects that changing carnivore populations will have on ecological communities. Here, we show that cougars are the architects of a complex behavioral game of risk and reward, because su...

With evidence of pollinator declines and an increasing focus on restoration, interest is growing in investigating floral resources for native bees. Although native bees forage on shrubs, few studies have explored the pollinator communities of native shrubs and none have examined shrub-pollinator interactions in riparian areas of the northwestern Un...

Many pollinator populations are experiencing declines, emphasizing the need for a better understanding of the complex relationship between bees and flowering plants. Using DNA metabarcoding to describe plant‐pollinator interactions eliminates many challenges associated with traditional methods and has the potential to reveal a more comprehensive un...

This report emerged from a collaboration between the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and the Northern Rangelands Trust (NRT) in Kenya. The NRT asked the USFS to conduct: 1) an intensive, independent assessment of the NRT Rangelands Program and 2) a regional review of rangeland programs in East Africa focusing on community-based rangeland management (or...

Spatial capture–recapture (SCR) models have become the preferred tool for estimating densities of carnivores. Within this family of models are variants requiring identification of all individuals in each encounter (SCR), a subset of individuals only (generalized spatial mark–resight, gSMR), or no individual identification (spatial count or spatial...

This synthesis presents an update of a prior publication summarizing effects of management practices on greater sage-grouse. Topics include area requirements, suitable habitat, site fidelity, and species' response to fire, grazing, pesticides and herbicides, energy and urban development, and translocation. It concludes with management recommendatio...

Mesopredator release theory suggests that dominant predators suppress subordinate carnivores and ultimately shape community dynamics, but the assumption that subordinate species are only negatively affected ignores the possibility of facilitation through scavenging. We examined the interplay within a carnivore community consisting of cougars, coyot...

Variation among demographic rates for a population reflects the allocation of available energy by individuals to competing life‐history strategies. Species exhibiting slow‐paced life histories often prioritize energy allocation to adult survival over any single reproductive event, therefore maximizing future reproductive potential. Survival of adul...

The degradation of dry woodlands in South America by agricultural activities affects wildlife through a decrease in available habitat and fine-scale changes in habitat structure. The impact of land use can be perceived by small, mobile organisms as preventing or facilitating their movement through and among habitats, consequently altering ecosystem...

Recent global declines of pollinator populations have highlighted the importance of pollinators, which are undervalued despite essential contributions to ecosystem services. To identify critical knowledge gaps about pollinators, we describe the state of knowledge about responses of pollinators and their foraging and nesting resources to historical...

Mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus ) are widely hunted throughout western North America and are experiencing population declines across much of their range. Consequently, understanding the direct and indirect effects of hunting is important for management of mule deer populations. Managers can influence deer mortality rates through changes in hunting s...

Many applications in ecology depend on unbiased and precise estimates of animal population density. Spatial capture recapture models and their variants have become the preferred tool for estimating densities of carnivores. Within the spatial capture-recapture family are variants that require individual identification of all encounters (spatial capt...

The life-and-death stakes of predator-prey encounters justify the high price of many anti-predator behaviors. In adopting these behaviors, prey incur substantial non-consumptive costs that can have population-level consequences. Because prey knowledge of risk is imperfect, individuals may even adopt these costly behaviors in the absence of a real t...

Sagebrush ecosystems are among the largest and most threatened ecosystems in North America. Greater sage-grouse has served as the bellwether for species conservation in these ecosystems and has been considered for listing under the Endangered Species Act eight times. In September 2015, the decision was made not to list greater sage-grouse, but to r...

The Science Framework is intended to link the Department of the Interior’s Integrated Rangeland Fire Management Strategy with long-term strategic conservation and restoration actions in the sagebrush biome. The focus is on sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) ecosystems and sagebrush dependent species with an emphasis on Greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus uro...

Land managers face constant challenges when balancing multiple land use goals that include ensuring that keystone species are protected. As mindful stewards of our natural areas we aim to promote, secure, and enhance our natural landscapes and the species that make them their home. When we focus our efforts on protecting and promoting pollinators a...

Recurrent environmental changes often prompt animals to alter their behavior leading to predictable patterns across a range of temporal scales. The nested nature of circadian and seasonal behavior complicate tests for effects of rarer disturbance events like fire. Fire can dramatically alter plant community structure, with important knock‐on effect...

A practitioner's guide to applying the 2012 U.S. Forest Service Planning Rule to conserve species. It is a technical and scientific summary and reference for those seeking understanding of how a federal land management agency approaches species conservation.

Roads affect flora and fauna across the world. Large mammals are particularly vulnerable to road effects because their large home ranges lead to a higher probability of contact with road networks. Disturbance associated with roads can alter the probability of habitat use by making suitable habitat near roads inaccessible or underused. Many studies...

Native bees are declining worldwide, but conserving or restoring their habitat requires a better understanding of bee-flower associations. High quality bee habitat includes flowers that provide pollen and nectar preferred by bees. However, little data exist about which plants are commonly used by bees in the Pacific Northwest, or whether bees prefe...

Trail-based recreation is a popular use of public forests in the United States, and four types are common: all-terrain vehicle (ATV) riding, mountain biking, hiking, and horseback riding. Effects on wildlife, however, are controversial and often a topic of land use debates. Accordingly, we studied trail-based recreation effects on elk (Cervus canad...

Drylands occupy almost 50% of the Earth's surface and are increasingly affected by extensive land uses such as grazing. These practices affect multiple biotic and abiotic interactions mainly through loss of habitat and resources available for native wildlife. We examined the effects of local vegetation conditions on resource selection by a small ma...

These data and analyses support the research article “Wild ungulate herbivory suppresses deciduous woody plant establishment following salmonid stream restoration” Averett et al. (2017) [1]. The data and analyses presented here include: (1) planting density, survival and growth (two years post restoration) of riparian plantings along an ~ 11 km str...

Domestic and wild ungulates can exert strong influences on riparian woody vegetation establishment, yet little is known about how wild ungulate herbivory affects riparian restoration in the absence of cattle. We evaluated elk (Cervus elaphus) and mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) impacts on the establishment of deciduous woody riparian plantings alon...

This document is a technical and scientific reference to aid field practitioners applying the USDA Forest Service 2012 Planning Rule governing the management of National Forests and Grasslands. It does not represent policy or guidance

Many federal, state, and tribal agencies, as well as nonprofit organizations, have recently increased efforts to understand how natural areas can be managed to enhance native pollinators and the ecosystem services they provide. However, managing this important group must be balanced with other services that natural areas provide including hunting,...

Review of approaches to operationalize at-risk species conservation employing the USDA Forest Service 2012 Planning Rule. Focused on species of conservation concern and builds on 20 years of learning as the Forest Service addressed at-risk species in Land Management Planning.

Sagebrush ecosystems are among the largest and most threatened ecosystems in North America. Greater sage-grouse has served as the bellwether for species conservation in these ecosystems and has been considered for listing under the Endangered Species Act eight times. In September 2015, the decision was made not to list greater sage-grouse, but to r...

Climate change models are predicting increased frequency and severity of droughts in arid and semiarid environments, and these areas are responsible for much of the world's livestock production. Because cattle () grazing can impact the abundance, distribution, and ecological function of native plant and animal communities, it is important to unders...

Climate change models are predicting increased frequency and severity of droughts in arid and semiarid environments, and these areas are responsible for much of the world’s livestock production. Because cattle (Bos taurus) grazing can impact the abundance, distribution, and ecological function of native plant and animal communities, it is important...

strengths, capabilities, partners, past and current research, and potential future priority areas for sagebrush ecosystems and sage-grouse conservation science. Four Strategic Priorities were identified in the science strategy based on Forest Service strengths, areas of leadership, and reviews of knowledge: (1) Evaluate sage-grouse ecology, monitor...

Mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae) (MPB) outbreaks are increasingly prevalent in western North America, causing considerable ecological change in pine (Pinus spp.) forests with important implications for wildlife. We reviewed studies examining wildlife responses to MPB outbreaks and postoutbreak salvage logging to inform forest manageme...

This chapter provides guidance for designing a habitat monitoring program so that it will meet the monitoring objective, will be repeatable, and will adequately represent habitat within the spatial extent of interest. Although a number of excellent resources are available for planning and designing a monitoring program for wildlife populations (e.g...

is the associate national wildlife ecologist, USDAForest Service, Rocky Mountain Station, Forestry Sciences

We conducted an ecoregional assessment of sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) ecosystems in the Wyoming Basins and surrounding regions (WBEA) to determine broad-scale species-environmental relationships. Our goal was to assess the potential influence from threats to the sagebrush ecosystem on associated wildlife through the use of spatially explicit occurre...

Greater sage-grouse (Centro-cercus urophasianus) have been declining both spatially and numerically through-out their range because of anthropogenic disturbance and loss and fragmentation of sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) habitats. Un-derstanding how sage-grouse respond to these habitat alterations and disturbanc-es, particularly the types of disturban...

A habitat network is defined as a spatially explicit portrayal of environmental conditions across large landscapes that can be used to understand the status and trends of species of conservation concern, particularly in relation to how species' needs are met through management of habitat abundance and distribution. Habitat networks are specifically...

In this chapter, we identify species of conservation concern in the Great Basin Ecoregion (Great Basin) and State of Nevada. Our objectives were to (1) identify species of conservation concern that are at risk to further population declines and potential extirpation in the Great Basin and Nevada, based on the principles of populations at risk; and...

In this chapter, we summarize the major conclusions from our assessment and describe the associated management implications. Each conclusion is presented first, followed by supporting details and implications. Conclusions and implications follow the order of Chapters 2-9. Literature and findings in support of our conclusions and implications can be...

Information on the habitat requirements and effects of habitat management on Greater Sage-Grouse was summarized from information in more than 5,500 published and unpublished papers. A range map is provided to indicate the current range of Greater Sage-Grouse (adapted from Schroeder et al. 2004). Although birds may be observed outside the breeding r...

Fourteen authors, ranging from transportation specialists to ecologists, have collaborated to write this very useful compendium describing the newly minted discipline of "road ecology." The authors state that road ecology "uses the science of ecology and landscape ecology to explore, understand, and address the interactions of roads and vehicles wi...

We integrated landscape data from science assessments of the interior Columbia basin (basin) into one variable that functions as a robust index of departure from native conditions. This variable, referred to as the disturbance departure and fragmentation index, is a spatially explicit measure of landscape quality and resiliency. Primary causes of d...

The wolverine (Gulo gulo) is an uncommon, wide-ranging carnivore of conservation concern. We evaluated performance of landscape models for wolverines within their historical range at 2 scales in the interior Northwest based on recent observations (n = 421) from Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana. At the subbasin scale, simple overlays of habita...

Habitat managers need information about landscape conditions in relation to the composite requirements of species that deserve attention in conservation planning. Consequently, we characterized and mapped a broad-scale network of habitats for five suites of terrestrial vertebrates in the 58 million-ha Interior Columbia Basin (Basin). These five sui...