@conference {50861, title = {Effects of fire and mowing on expansion of reestablished black-tailed prairie dog colonies in Chihuahuan Desert grasslands}, booktitle = {2002 Fire Conference}, volume = {General Technical Report PSW-189}, year = {2002}, month = {December 2-5, 20}, pages = {49}, address = {San Diego, CA}, abstract = {Black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) currently occupy less than 2\% of their historical range. This decline is due to eradication programs, habitat loss, and introduced pathogens. Active conservation measures for this species, including reintroduction, are underway in a number of areas. Prairie dogs are a key species in grassland ecosystems because of their effects on landscape pattern and ecosystem process. As part of a larger study of reciprocal effects of landscape and ecosystem factors on establishment and growth of prairie dog colonies, we investigated the effects of fire and mowing on numerical growth and aerial expansion of colonies reintroduced into the northern Chihuahuan Desert. On each of three colonies, established in 1998-1999 and ranging from 1.27 to 8 ha, we established six 50x50m experimental plots randomly assigned to burn or mowing treatments. The response variable was the number of new burrows appearing in each experimental plot. Results show no significant differences in the number of new burrows in burned vs. mowed plots; therefore, fire and mowing can be used interchangeably as management tools to reintroduce prairie dogs.}, author = {P. L. Ford and C.A. Anderson and E.L. Fredrickson and J. Truett and G. Roemer} } @conference {50862, title = {Fire as a management tool to facilitate expansion of reintroduced black-tailed prairie dog colonies in Chihuahuan Desert grasslands}, booktitle = {16th Annual Meeting, Society for Conservation Biology}, year = {2002}, month = {July 14, 2002}, pages = {3}, address = {Canterbury, UK}, abstract = {Within the last hundred years, public and private control programs and plague have reduced black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) population numbers by 98\%, causing localized extinctions. Black-tailed prairie dogs significantly alter grassland ecosystems and are considered a "keystone" species requiring active conservation efforts. We report on an experimental study evaluating fire vs. mowing for facilitating expansion of reintroduced colonies. We used three northern Chihuahuan Desert (Sporobolus/Scleropogon grassland association) colonies reestablished in 1998-99 ranging from 1.27 to 8 ha. Contiguous taller grasses limited expansion of these colonies. We established six 50x50m experimental plots adjacent to each colony randomly assigned to burn or mow treatments. All burrows in each colony were mapped immediately preceding treatment and 4-months after treatment. Numbers of newly established burrows in each plot were used as a measure of habitat preference. Results indicate no significant differences in the number of new burrows on burn (mean = 13, SD = 8) vs. mow (mean = 13, SD = 5) plots. In conclusion, fire can be used in lieu of mowing as a tool. Persistence of these treatments will depend on prairie dog population dynamics and impact of treatments on the foraging dynamics of associated large ungulates.}, author = {P. L. Ford and E.L. Fredrickson and C.A. Anderson and J. Truett} }