Publications by authors named "John P Severson"

Assessing the effects of industrial development on wildlife is a key objective of managers and conservation practitioners. However, wildlife responses are often only investigated with respect to the footprint of infrastructure, even though human activity can strongly mediate development impacts. In Arctic Alaska, there is substantial interest in expanding energy development, raising concerns about the potential effects on barren-ground caribou (Rangifer tarandus granti).

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Annual variation in phenology can have profound effects on the behavior of animals. As climate change advances spring phenology in ecosystems around the globe, it is becoming increasingly important to understand how animals respond to variation in the timing of seasonal events and how their responses may shift in the future. We investigated the influence of spring phenology on the behavior of migratory, barren-ground caribou (Rangifer tarandus), a species that has evolved to cope with short Arctic summers.

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Article Synopsis
  • Understanding habitat boundaries for species like the greater sage-grouse is crucial for effective management, especially since their habitat use varies by season.
  • Researchers modeled habitat selection patterns for sage-grouse in the Great Basin, using data from over 1,000 birds and nearly 31,000 locations across different seasons.
  • Findings showed that sage-grouse primarily prefer sagebrush areas with minimal conifer presence and demonstrated significant seasonal habitat selection based on water availability and herbaceous cover, leading to new habitat maps that can aid in conservation efforts.
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Sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) obligate wildlife species such as the imperiled greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) face numerous threats including altered ecosystem processes that have led to conifer expansion into shrub-steppe. Conifer removal is accelerating despite a lack of empirical evidence on grouse population response.

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