Sagebrush recovery analyzed with a dynamic reference approach in southwestern Wyoming, USA 1985-2018
Dates
Publication Date
2022-02-22
Start Date
1985
End Date
2018
Citation
Monroe, A.P., Nauman, T.W., Aldridge, C.L., O'Donnell, M.S., Duniway, M.C., Cade, B.S., Manier, D.J., and Anderson, P.J., 2022, Sagebrush recovery analyzed with a dynamic reference approach in southwest Wyoming, USA 1985-2018: U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/P9OP5D76.
Summary
Identifying ecologically relevant reference sites is important for evaluating ecosystem recovery, but the relevance of references that are temporally static is unclear in the context of vast landscapes with disturbance and environmental contexts varying over space and time. This question is pertinent for landscapes dominated by sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) which face a suite of threats from disturbance and development but also have lengthy recovery times. Here, we applied a dynamic reference approach to studying and projecting recovery of sagebrush on former oil and gas well pads in southwestern Wyoming, USA, using over 3 decades of remote sensing data (1985–2018). We also used quantile regression to evaluate factors that may affect [...]
Summary
Identifying ecologically relevant reference sites is important for evaluating ecosystem recovery, but the relevance of references that are temporally static is unclear in the context of vast landscapes with disturbance and environmental contexts varying over space and time. This question is pertinent for landscapes dominated by sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) which face a suite of threats from disturbance and development but also have lengthy recovery times. Here, we applied a dynamic reference approach to studying and projecting recovery of sagebrush on former oil and gas well pads in southwestern Wyoming, USA, using over 3 decades of remote sensing data (1985–2018). We also used quantile regression to evaluate factors that may affect recovery including soils, weather, elevation, and well pad characteristics. We then created projections for percent recovery and years to recovery (relative to references and thresholds for greater sage-grouse [Centrocercus urophasianus] habitat) across the study area. This approach substantially increased our sample, and therefore inferential base, and illustrated benefits of using dynamic references and quantile regression to evaluate and project recovery of vegetation such as sagebrush. In this data release, we provide datasets used to fit models and projection maps for percent recovery and years to recovery across the study area and in areas identified as greater sage-grouse habitat.
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Related External Resources
Type: Related Primary Publication
Monroe, A. P., Nauman, T. W., Aldridge, C. L., O’Donnell, M. S., Duniway, M. C., Cade, B. S., Manier, D. J., & Anderson, P. J. (2022). Assessing vegetation recovery from energy development using a dynamic reference approach. In Ecology and Evolution (Vol. 12, Issue 2). Wiley. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.8508
These data were created to study sagebrush trends following apparent reclamation of oil and gas well pads in this region. Projection maps produced here could be used to anticipate relative rates of recovery from similar disturbance in this region, assuming similar weather patterns in the future, and to compare outcomes under ideal (high quantiles) or challenging (low quantiles) recovery conditions.
