It is well supported that the composition and configuration of landscape mosaics resulting from fire contribute to avian community structure (i.e., species diversity and species richness).� However, the mechanistic underpinnings of bird responses (e.g., life stage plasticity) to fire have been understudied, especially on dynamic disturbance-prone landscapes.� We investigated covey home range and spring dispersal movements (2013-2014), as well as, nesting ecology (2012-2015) of northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus; hereafter bobwhites) on an experimental landscape in western Oklahoma.� Specifically, we assessed bobwhite responses to management-driven disturbance (i.e., prescribed fire) and environmental disturbance (ranging from extreme drought to above average precipitation).� We found that time since fire (hereafter; TSF) influenced bobwhite covey home range size (F4, 54 = 2.95, p < 0.05) (n=61) which was characterized by smaller covey home ranges in 25-36 months TSF (52.07 ha [� 6.6]) than in 0-12 (85.0 ha [� 15.53]), 13-24 (86.7 ha [� 20.7]) and >36 TSF (78.9 ha [� 6.54]). �Moreover, spring dispersal movements were not correlated with TSF (n=114) and plasticity in nest substrate use among TSF mediated nest survival (n=157) which was unaffected by TSF or weather parameters. �As TSF increased, plasticity in nesting strategies were demonstrated by a linear increase and linear decrease in use of herbaceous and shrub nest substrates, respectively. �Specifically, shrubs accounted for 72% of nest sites in 0-12 TSF, yet herbaceous cover accounted for 71% of nest sites in >36 TSF.� Our findings highlight the interplay between landscape dynamics, disturbance, and ecology of a ground-nesting bird species on a fire-prone landscape. �Moreover, these results show the importance of examining disturbance processes relative to the life stages of organisms, which is particularly critical given that restoring fire will be essential for limiting tree encroachment and promoting heterogeneity in rangeland ecosystems.
Oral presentation and poster titles, abstracts, and authors from the Society for Range Management (SRM) Annual Meetings and Tradeshows, from 2013 forward.