Assessment of Impacts of Feral Horses and Livestock Grazing on Sage-Grouse and their Habitats

This research project will test the following hypothesis in order to provide management recommendations on the effects of feral horses to sage-grouse: 1. Nest survival will be influenced by shrub cover and understory vegetation. 2. Understory vegetation will be shorter and provide less ground cover in the presence of feral horses and feral horses and livestock. 3. Brood survival will be lower when understory vegetation or shrub cover are reduced. 4. Survival of adult female sage-grouse will be lower when understory vegetation or shrub cover are lower. 5. Riparian areas will support greater primary productivity in the absence of grazing by nonnative ungulates. 6. Vegetation in riparian meadows will continue to recover during 2017-2020.