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David S. Pilliod

Publications and source records attributed to David S. Pilliod.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Spatial patterns of seed removal by harvester ants in a seed tray experiment

Using a selection of native grass and forb seeds commonly seeded in local restoration projects, we conducted a field experiment to evaluate the effects of seed species, distance of seed patches from nests, and distance between patches on patterns of seed removal by Owyhee harvester ants, Pogonomyrmex salinus (Olsen) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). To provide context for ants’ seed preferences, we evaluated differences in handling time among seed species. In addition, we assessed the influences of cheatgrass, Bromus tectorum (L.) (Poales: Poaceae), and Sandberg bluegrass, Poa secunda (J. Presl) (Poales: Poaceae), cover on seed removal. We found significant differences in removal rates among seed species. In general, seeds placed closer to nests were more vulnerable to predation than those placed farther away, and seeds in closely spaced patches were more vulnerable than seeds in widely spaced patches. However, the strength of these effects differed by seed species. Differences in handling time among seed species may help to explain these findings; the protective effect of from-nest distance was weaker for species that required less time to transport. For 2 of the seed species, there was an interaction between the distance of seed patches from nests and the distance between patches such that the protective effect of distance between patches decreased as the distance from nests increased. Cheatgrass and bluegrass cover both had small protective effects on seeds. Taken together, these results offer insight into the spatial ecology of harvester ant foraging and may provide context for the successful implementation of restoration efforts where harvester ants are present.

Environmental Entomology↗

Structural heterogeneity predicts ecological resistance and resilience to wildfire in arid shrublands

Context Dynamic feedbacks between physical structure and ecological function drive ecosystem productivity, resilience, and biodiversity maintenance. Detailed maps of canopy structure enable comprehensive evaluations of structure–function relationships. However, these relationships are scale-dependent, and identifying relevant spatial scales to link structure to function remains challenging. Objectives We identified optimal scales to relate structure heterogeneity to ecological resistance, measured as the impacts of wildfire on canopy structure, and ecological resilience, measured as native shrub recruitment. We further investigated whether structural heterogeneity can aid spatial predictions of shrub recruitment. Methods Using high-resolution imagery from unoccupied aerial systems (UAS), we mapped structural heterogeneity across ten semi-arid landscapes, undergoing a disturbance-mediated regime shift from native shrubland to dominance by invasive annual grasses. We then applied wavelet analysis to decompose structural heterogeneity into discrete scales and related these scales to ecological metrics of resilience and resistance. Results We found strong indicators of scale dependence in the tested relationships. Wildfire effects were most prominent at a single scale of structural heterogeneity (2.34 m), while the abundance of shrub recruits was sensitive to structural heterogeneity at a range of scales, from 0.07 – 2.34 m. Structural heterogeneity enabled out-of-site predictions of shrub recruitment (R 2 = 0.55). The best-performing predictive model included structural heterogeneity metrics across multiple scales. Conclusions Our results demonstrate that identifying structure–function relationships requires analyses that explicitly account for spatial scale. As high-resolution imagery enables spatially extensive maps of canopy heterogeneity, models for scale dependence will aid our understanding of resilience mechanisms in imperiled arid ecosystems.

Idaho↗

Population genetics of museum specimens indicate decreasing genetic resiliency: The case of two bumble bees of conservation concern

Genetic resiliency is the likelihood that populations retain sufficient genetic diversity to respond to environmental change. It is rarely examined through time in conservation genetic studies due to challenges of acquiring and sequencing historical specimens. Focusing on populations of two sibling bumble bee species of conservation concern with different recent patterns of decline, we used museum specimens collected between 1960 and 2020 and 15 microsatellite markers to assess genetic resiliency (allelic richness, expected heterozygosity, and inbreeding) through time and across geographic space. We find evidence of decreasing allelic richness through time, starting at least 30 years before observed abundance declines in one species and at least 20 years before present in a species with apparently stable abundance. We also found increasing expected heterozygosity through time, indicating increased inbreeding, in the putatively stable species. We demonstrate that genetic measurements taken from specimens collected through time can be used to detect population decline in imperiled species before decreases in abundance are detected. We also demonstrate the importance of interpreting population genetic metrics within the context of historical patterns to assess species' conservation statuses. Finally, we discuss the limitations of currently available population genetic methods, including the influence of isolation by distance and sampling density on measurements of genetic structure, and the influence of demographic characteristics and choice of genetic markers on estimates of genetic diversity and structure. We call for further development of individual-based modeling methods to measure genetic structure, as opposed to commonly applied population-based metrics, to overcome these limitations.

Biological Conservation↗

Closing the conservation gap in the sagebrush biome: Spatial targeting and coordination are needed for conservation to keep pace with sagebrush losses

Core sagebrush areas (CSAs), patches of high sagebrush ecological integrity, continue to decline despite significant conservation and restoration investments across the sagebrush biome. Historically, conservation decisions in the biome have been driven by wildlife species-specific demands, but increasing recognition of the scale of threats and the pace of ecosystem degradation has compelled a shift towards threat-based ecosystem management. Therefore, there is a need to evaluate the scale of conservation implementation relative to the rate of degradation or loss from specific threats to the biome to assess whether a conservation deficit exists. To this end, we: 1) quantified and compared the average hectares of conservation practices implemented annually relative to the hectares of CSA loss attributed to each threat; 2) evaluated the relative amount of conservation actions in core sagebrush areas, growth opportunity areas, and other rangeland areas; and 3) assessed how much additional conservation may be needed to stop CSA declines. We then quantified how better spatial targeting and enhanced coordination might reduce the total additional amount of future conservation needed, and evaluated how an influx of resources can close the conservation gap, or the deficit between the conservation needed to offset annual loss and degradation and the capacity for conservation implementation. We found that current rates of conservation (e.g., hectares treated annually) are markedly lower than rates of CSA loss (∼10% of average annual loss). Furthermore, most conservation actions, ∼90% for some treatment types, occurred outside of CSAs likely reducing the efficacy of these conservation actions at retaining and restoring intact sagebrush rangelands. Additionally, we found that conservation efforts will need to increase by more than an order of magnitude (at least 10x) annually to halt CSA declines. However, through better spatial targeting of conservation actions, the increase in conservation needed to stop CSA loss could be reduced by 70% or more. This analysis demonstrates the divergent futures that may await the sagebrush biome pending key decisions regarding conservation targeting, stakeholder cooperation, and the strategic addition of resources.

Rangeland Ecology and Management↗

Lead exposure of a fossorial rodent varies with the use of ammunition across the landscape

Exposure to heavy metals has been documented in a wide range of wildlife species, but infrequently in ground squirrels. This is despite their tendency to be targets of recreational shooters and the accumulation of lead ammunition in the soil environments they inhabit. We analyzed lead and copper concentrations in liver (n Pb = 116, n Cu = 101) and femur (n Pb = 116, n Cu = 116) of Piute ground squirrels ( Urocitellus mollis ) and in soil ( n = 75) on public lands in southwestern Idaho to understand how lead exposure may vary across a gradient of intensities and histories of shooting activity. The liver and femur of squirrels from areas used for recreational shooting for greater than 30 years had elevated lead concentrations relative to areas where shooting was rare or did not occur (our negative control), but as expected, lower than areas used for military target training for greater than 70 years (our positive control). Lead concentration in soils were higher in areas used for military target training than in those used for recreational shooting. There were no differences in copper concentrations in biological or soil samples among sites. These data suggest that ground squirrels can be influenced by the history of lead use in their local environment, and they illustrate another pathway by which human activity can influence toxicant exposure to wildlife.

Science ot the Total Environment↗

Amphibian and reptile conservation in the United States of America

Wildlife stewardship is of utmost importance in the United States, where management for sustainable natural resources is extended to native species including amphibians and reptiles. The U.S. wildlife conservation framework is a nested system of authorities regulating species and habitats, science-based management and policy decisions, and adaptive management as new knowledge is applied to improve outcomes of population- and habitat-management actions. Yet the approach has evolved through time, from single-species management of game species to the conservation of entire ecosystems and the biodiversity they support. Today, the mismatch of conservation ideals with conservation capacity puts nongame species like amphibians and reptiles in the crosshairs for losses due to insufficient resources to address growing numbers of threats. Despite these challenges, optimism prevails, as the management and conservation of U.S. herpetofauna is an increasing priority of the public, with considerable investment into habitat restoration, species-specific threat mitigation, research, public outreach, and education. Herein, we outline key elements of U.S. herpetological conservation efficacy: (1) a web of legal authorities governing the management of U.S. herpetofauna and their habitats; (2) a network of people and organizations that work toward filling priority knowledge gaps by conducting scientific research and that are actively engaged in the science-management interface for species-to-ecosystem level conservation decision-making, and (3) a learning framework of adaptive management within the legal landscape (“lawscape”) and for improving effectiveness of conservation actions. Lastly, the human dimension of species conservation in the U.S. is emerging, where bottom-up local efforts are having success in addition to state- and regional-scale approaches. We propose U.S. herpetological conservation priorities under three themes: threats, research, and human dimensions (people). Together these multifaceted efforts are contributing to advances in the maintenance of U.S. amphibian and reptile diversity. The success of these efforts is notable and could be viewed as a model system, where lessons learned may apply elsewhere.

Book chapter↗

Oil and gas reclamation—Operations, monitoring methods, and standards

This publication provides broad guidance for surface management of oil and gas development with a focus on promoting successful reclamation. Successful reclamation depends on sound best management practices, clear standards and expectations, defensible monitoring for effectiveness, and management of production facilities to minimize surface disturbance. This publication provides specific guidelines for surface management of oil and gas, including operations, standards, and monitoring. The development of this report was guided by existing Federal reclamation policy, a review of the scientific and other literature, as well as practical field experience. Expertise was pulled from multiple sources including Federal and State agencies, oil and gas contractors, and academia. The target audience for this report is primarily operators and contractors conducting oil and gas activities on U.S. Federal or Tribal lands and the surface management agencies responsible for guiding and enforcing these activities. The guidance on surface management presented here will also be useful for managing oil and gas activities on State and private lands and where private land occurs over Federal mineral estate (split estate).

Techniques and Methods↗

Amphibians and reptiles

Amphibians and reptiles are a diverse group of ectothermic vertebrates that occupy a variety of habitats in rangelands of North America, from wetlands to the driest deserts. These two classes of vertebrates are often referred to as herpetofauna and are studied under the field of herpetology. In U.S. rangelands, there are approximately 66 species of frogs and toads, 58 salamanders, 98 lizards, 111 snakes, and 27 turtles and tortoises. Herpetofauna tend to be poorly studied compared with other vertebrates, which creates a challenge for biologists and landowners who are trying to manage rangeland activities for this diverse group of animals and their habitats. Degradation of habitats from human land use and alteration of natural processes, like wildfire, are primary threats to herpetofauna populations. Disease, non-native predators, collection for the pet trade, and persecution are also conservation concerns for some species. Properly managed livestock grazing is generally compatible with herpetofauna conservation, and private and public rangelands provide crucial habitat for many species. Climate change also poses a threat to herpetofauna, but we have an incomplete understanding of the potential effects on species. Dispersal and adaptation could provide some capacity for species to persist on rangelands as climates, disturbance regimes, and habitats change. However, inadequate information and considerable uncertainty will make climate mitigation planning difficult for the foreseeable future. Planning for and mitigating effects of climate change, and interactions with other stressors, is an urgent area for research. Maintaining large, heterogeneous land areas as rangelands will certainly be an important part of the conservation strategy for herpetofauna in North America.

Book chapter↗

Forecasting natural regeneration of sagebrush after wildfires using population models and spatial matching

Context Addressing ecosystem degradation in the Anthropocene will require ecological restoration across large spatial extents. Identifying areas where natural regeneration will occur without direct resource investment will improve scalability of restoration actions. Objectives An ecoregion in need of large scale restoration is the Great Basin of the Western US, where increasingly large and frequent wildfires threaten ecosystem integrity and its foundational shrub species. We develop a framework to forecast where post-wildfire regeneration of sagebrush cover ( Artemisia spp.) is likely to occur within the burnt areas across the region (> 900,000 km 2 ). Methods First, we parameterized population models using Landsat satellite-derived time series of sagebrush cover. Second, we evaluated the out-of-sample performance by predicting natural regeneration in wildfires not used for model training. This model assessment reproduces a management-oriented scenario: making restoration decisions shortly after wildfires with minimal local information. Third, we asked how accounting for increasingly fine-scale spatial heterogeneity could improve model forecasting accuracy. Results Regional-level models revealed that sagebrush post-fire recovery is slow, estimating > 80-year time horizon to reach an average cover at equilibrium of 16.6% (CI95% 9–25). Accounting for wildfire and within-wildfire spatial heterogeneity improved out-of-sample forecasts, resulting in a mean absolute error of 3.5 ± 4.3% cover, compared to the regional model with an error of 7.2 ± 5.1% cover. Conclusions We demonstrate that combining population models and non-parametric spatial matching provides a flexible framework for forecasting plant population recovery. Models for population recovery applied to Landsat-derived time series will assist restoration decision-making, including identifying priority targets for restoration.

Great Basin↗

Persistence and quality of vegetation cover in expired Conservation Reserve Program fields

For nearly 40 years, the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) has implemented practices to reduce soil erosion, improve water quality, and provide habitat for wildlife and pollinators on highly erodible cropland in the United States. However, an approximately 40,470 ha (10 million acres) decline in enrolled CRP land over the last decade has greatly reduced the program's environmental benefits. We sought to assess the program's enduring benefits in the central and western United States by (1) determining the proportion of fields that persist in CRP cover after contracts expired, (2) identifying the type of agricultural production that CRP fields shift to after contract expiration, (3) comparing the vegetation characteristics of expired CRP fields that are persisting in CRP-type cover with enrolled CRP fields, and (4) identifying differences in management activities (e.g., haying, grazing) between expired and enrolled CRP fields. We conducted edge-of-field vegetation cover surveys in 1092 CRP fields with contracts that expired ≥3 years prior and 1786 currently enrolled CRP fields in 14 states. We found that 41% of expired CRP fields retained at least half of their area in CRP-type cover, with significant variation in persistence among regions ranging from 19% to 84%. When expired fields retained CRP vegetation, bare ground was low in all regions and grass cover was somewhat greater than in fields with current CRP contracts, but at the expense of forb cover in some regions. Evidence of more frequent management in expired CRP fields may explain differences between active and expired CRP fields. Overall, there is clear evidence that CRP-type cover frequently persists and provides benefits for more than three years after contract expiration. Retaining CRP-type cover, post-contract, is an under-recognized program benefit that persists across the central and western United States long after the initial retirement from cropland.

Ecosphere↗

Genomics-informed delineation of conservation units in a desert amphibian

Delineating conservation units (CUs, e.g., evolutionarily significant units, ESUs, and management units, MUs) is critical to the recovery of declining species because CUs inform both listing status and management actions. Genomic data have strengths and limitations in informing CU delineation and related management questions in natural systems. We illustrate the value of using genomic data in combination with landscape, dispersal, and occupancy data, to inform CU delineation in Nevada populations of the Great Basin Distinct Population Segment of the Columbia spotted frog ( Rana luteiventris ). R. luteiventris occupies naturally fragmented aquatic habitats in this xeric region, but beaver removal, climate change, and other factors have put many of these populations at high risk of extirpation without management intervention. We addressed three objectives: (1) assessing support for ESUs within Nevada; (2) evaluating and revising, if warranted, the current delineation of MUs; and (3) evaluating genetic diversity, effective population size, adaptive differentiation, and functional connectivity to inform ongoing management actions. We found little support for ESUs within Nevada but did identify potential revisions to MUs based on unique landscape drivers of connectivity that distinguish these desert populations from those in the northern portion of the species range. Effective sizes were uniformly small, with low genetic diversity and weak signatures of adaptive differentiation. Our findings suggest that management actions, including translocations and genetic rescue, might be warranted. Our study illustrates how a carefully planned genetic study, designed to address priority management goals that include CU delineation, can provide multiple insights to inform conservation action.

Molecular Ecology↗

Reestablishing a foundational species: limitations on post-wildfire sagebrush seedling establishment

Improving post-wildfire restoration of foundational plant species is crucial for conserving imperiled ecosystems. We sought to better understand the initial establishment of sagebrush ( Artemisia sp.), a foundational shrubland species over a vast area of western North America, in the first 1–2 years post-wildfire, a critical time period for population recovery. Field data from 460 sagebrush populations sampled across the Great Basin revealed several patterns. Sagebrush seedlings were uncommon in the first 1–2 years after fire, with none detected in 69% of plots, largely because most fires occurred in areas of low resistance to invasive species and resilience to disturbance (hereafter, R&R). Post-fire aerial seeding of sagebrush dramatically increased seedling occupancy, especially in low R&R areas, which exhibited a 3.4-fold increase in occupancy over similar unseeded locations. However, occupancy models and repeat surveys suggested exceptionally high mortality, as occupancy rates declined by as much as 50% between the first and second years after fire. We found the prevalence of “fertile island” microsites (patches beneath fire-consumed sagebrush) to be the best predictor of seedling occupancy, followed by aerial seeding status, native perennial grass cover, and years since fire. In populations where no sagebrush seeding occurred, seedlings were most likely to occur in locations with a combination of high fertile island microsite cover and close proximity to a remnant sagebrush plant. These important attributes were only present in 13% of post-fire locations, making them rare across the Great Basin. Finally, in the absence of fertile islands and remnant plants, seedling establishment was not observed in any unseeded areas, and rarely in seeded locations. Thus, local extirpation of sagebrush could have important, long-term implications for sagebrush reestablishment following future fires if there are no mature individuals to leave behind fertile islands or serve as remnant individuals. These findings highlight the importance of landscape legacy effects and could help guide where and how big sagebrush restoration is conducted in the future.

California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah↗

Hydroclimatic conditions, wildfire, and species assemblages influence co-occurrence of bull trout and tailed frogs in northern Rocky Mountain streams

Although bull trout ( Salvelinus confluentus ) and tailed frogs ( Ascaphus montanus ) have co-existed in forested Pacific Northwest streams for millennia, these iconic cold-water specialists are experiencing rapid environmental change caused by a warming climate and enhanced wildfire activity. Our goal was to inform future conservation by examining the habitat associations of each species and conditions that facilitate co-occupancy. We repurposed data from previous studies in the northern Rocky Mountains to assess the efficacy of bull trout electrofishing surveys for determining the occurrence of tailed frogs and the predictive capacity of habitat covariates derived from in-stream measurements and geospatial sources to model distributions of both species. Electrofishing reliably detected frog presence (89.2% rate). Both species were strongly associated with stream temperature and flow regime characteristics, and less responsive to riparian canopy cover, slope, and other salmonids. Tailed frogs were also sensitive to wildfire, with occupancy probability peaking around 80 years after a fire. Co-occupancy was most probable in locations with low-to-moderate frequencies of high winter flow events, few other salmonids, a low base-flow index, and intermediate years since fire. The distributions of these species appear to be sensitive to environmental conditions that are changing this century in forests of the northern Rocky Mountains. The amplification of climate-driven effects after wildfire may prove to be particularly problematic in the future. Habitat differences between these two species, considered to be headwater specialists, suggest that conservation measures designed for one may not fully protect the other. Additional studies involving future climate and wildfire scenarios are needed to assess broader conservation strategies and the potential to identify refuge streams where both species are likely to persist, or complementary streams where each could exist separately into the future.

Idaho, Montana↗

Sex‐related differences in aging rate are associated with sex chromosome system in amphibians

Sex‐related differences in mortality are widespread in the animal kingdom. Although studies have shown that sex determination systems might drive lifespan evolution, sex chromosome influence on aging rates have not been investigated so far, likely due to an apparent lack of demographic data from clades including both XY (with heterogametic males) and ZW (heterogametic females) systems. Taking advantage of a unique collection of capture–recapture datasets in amphibians, a vertebrate group where XY and ZW systems have repeatedly evolved over the past 200 million years, we examined whether sex heterogamy can predict sex differences in aging rates and lifespans. We showed that the strength and direction of sex differences in aging rates (and not lifespan) differ between XY and ZW systems. Sex‐specific variation in aging rates was moderate within each system, but aging rates tended to be consistently higher in the heterogametic sex. This led to small but detectable effects of sex chromosome system on sex differences in aging rates in our models. Although preliminary, our results suggest that exposed recessive deleterious mutations on the X/Z chromosome (the “unguarded X/Z effect”) or repeat‐rich Y/W chromosome (the “toxic Y/W effect”) could accelerate aging in the heterogametic sex in some vertebrate clades.

Evolution↗

Importance of local weather and environmental gradients on demography of a broadly distributed temperate frog

Amphibian populations are sensitive to environmental temperatures and moisture, which vary with local weather conditions and may reach new norms and extremes as contemporary climate change progresses. Using long-term (11–16 years) mark-recapture data from 10 populations of the Columbia spotted frog ( Rana luteiventris ) from across its U.S. range, we addressed hypotheses about how demographic relationships to weather depend upon a population’s position along climate gradients. We estimated the effect of seasonal weather on annual survival probability and recruitment rates both within populations and across the species’ range from subalpine forests to semi-arid deserts. We calculated population-specific weather variables that captured seasonal temperature and precipitation between summer sampling events, both for periods when frogs were active (spring to fall) and inactive (winter). Across all populations, we marked 15,885 adult frogs, with 33% of frogs recaptured at least once. Population demography varied with seasonal weather across the species’ range. Annual adult survival probability and recruitment rates of each population were influenced by a unique set of seasonal temperature and precipitation variables, particularly in winter and spring. Hence, adult survival varied with local conditions but, when analyzed across all populations, was predictable along a species-environment response curve associated with the timing of snowmelt and spring moisture. In contrast, recruitment rates for each population peaked at different values along an environmental gradient associated with the amount of snow during winter, and fall temperature and moisture levels, suggesting that recruitment may be responding to local conditions independently within each population. These findings highlight that sampling across the environmental (i.e., elevational and meteorological) gradients within a species range is necessary to predict species-level responses to regional climate change. This study also provides evidence of the importance of winter conditions on the demography of temperate amphibians, conditions that are already responding to climate change. Finally, this study further emphasizes that local context and spatiotemporal scale of inquiry remain paramount to understanding and potentially managing for climate effects on populations of amphibian species with broad geographic ranges.

Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon↗

Adaptive monitoring in support of adaptive management in rangelands

Monitoring supports iterative learning about the effectiveness of management actions, information that can help managers plan future actions, facilitate decision-making, and improve outcomes. Adaptive monitoring is the evolution of a monitoring program in response to new management questions; new or changing environmental or socioeconomic conditions, improved monitoring methods, models, and tools; and experience implementing the monitoring program. Adaptive monitoring is connected to research and management through the exchange of data; analytical, methodological, and technological developments; information; and understanding. We review recent advances in adaptive monitoring and discuss new opportunities for both the research and management communities to improve monitoring in the years ahead.

Rangelands↗

Leveraging rangeland monitoring data for wildlife: From concept to practice

Available rangeland data, from field-measured plots to remotely sensed landscapes, provide much needed information for mapping and modeling wildlife habitats. Better integration of wildlife habitat characteristics into rangeland monitoring schemes is needed for most rangeland wildlife species at varying spatial and temporal scales. Here, we aim to stimulate use of and inspire ideas about rangeland monitoring data in the context of wildlife habitat modeling and species conservation.

Colorado, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, N↗

Elevating human dimensions of amphibian and reptile conservation, a USA perspective

Increasing threats to amphibian and reptile species raise the urgency of their conservation. However, relative to other vertebrate groups at risk, amphibians and reptiles have low and more variable social capital; they are not generally high-priority natural goods and services valued by people. Consequently, relative to other groups such as birds, mammals, and economically important fish, they garner fewer conservation resources. With increasing risks, their situation degrades. We examine five societal sectors with herpetofaunal conservation interests in the United States (local communities, people in defined geographies and jurisdictions, species and threat specialists and advocates, associated researchers, managers, and policy makers) to understand challenges of low and variable social capital for herpetofauna. With current trends of US public values changing from traditionalist consumerism of wildlife to mutualist coexistence philosophies, a refocus of outreach and inreach efforts could help reframe priorities toward species at greatest risk, rather than broad taxonomic biases. Integrated teams of engaged natural resource managers, researchers, and the interested public can help promote species- and issue-based programs to forestall losses, hence programmatically raising social capital. Heightened recognition of the importance of human relationships and herpetofaunal diversity among researchers, managers, policy makers, educators, artists, authors, citizens, and children could provide inertia to reframe conservation program effectiveness at local-to-national scales.

Conservation Science and Practice↗