Community Dynamics of Grassland Birds, Rangeland Vegetation, and Black-Tailed Prairie Dogs on Grazed Mixed-Grass Prairie

Abstract

Investigators surveyed vegetation and grassland bird communities on and off black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) towns to investigate community drivers, interactions, and species associations. This study was conducted within the Standing Rock Indian Reservation, near McLaughlin, South Dakota, USA, on grazed mixed-grass prairie. Sampling of birds and vegetation communities in 2012 and 2013 using fixed-width belt transects revealed community differences relative to prairie dog presence or absence (p<0.01) with percent cover bare ground being most strongly correlated (r2≥0.93) with the principal NMS axis in both years. All bird species, excluding Lark Sparrows, nested exclusively on or off prairie dog towns. After PCA, nests and random locations sampled for vegetation were not significantly different (MANOVA p>0.05) within their habitat type (town or off-town), except for Brewer’s blackbird nests (p<0.01). Lack of significance may be due to limitations in sample sizes and the homogeneous nature of habitat at the scale sampled.