Traditional range management seeks to maintain even cattle distribution through constant grazing pressure and fire suppression. This homogenization of rangelands has caused concurrent declines in biodiversity and disturbance-dependent organisms. In contrast, patch-burn grazing relies on the interaction of fire and subsequent grazing selectivity to increase structural heterogeneity in grasslands. We are investigating the effects of patch-burn grazing on avian nest success at North Dakota State�s Central Grasslands Research Extension Center in Kidder and Stutsman County, North Dakota. Experimental treatments consist of season long grazing, dormant season burns with a four-year fire return interval, and dormant season and growing season burns with a four-year fire return interval. We systematically surveyed sub-patches within treatment units for ground nesting birds using rope dragging. We monitored nests every 2-4 days until completion to assess success, clutch size, and parasitism rates. Following one season of data collection, we documented 380 nests consisting of 24 species, including 7 species of conservation priority. �Results of this study will provide insight on the role of disturbance in maintaining biodiversity in grassland bird communities.
Oral presentation and poster titles, abstracts, and authors from the Society for Range Management (SRM) Annual Meetings and Tradeshows, from 2013 forward.