Daniel J. Manier

Human infrastructure and invasive plant occurrence across rangelands of southwestern Wyoming, USA.

Abstract Although human influence across rural landscapes is often discussed, interactions between the native, natural systems and human activities are challenging to measure explicitly. We assessed the distribution of introduced, invasive species as related to anthropogenic infrastructure and environmental conditions across southwestern Wyoming. to discern direct correlations as well as covariate influences between land use, land cover, and abundance of invasive plants, and assess the supposition that these features affect surrounding rangeland conditions. Our sample units were 1 000 m long and extended outward from target features, which included roads, oil and gas well pads, pipelines, power lines, and featureless background sites. Sample sites were distributed across the region using a stratified, random design with a frame that represented features and land-use intensity. In addition to land-use gradients, we captured a representative, but limited, range of variability in climate, soils, geology, topography, and dominant vegetation. Several of these variables proved significant, in conjunction with distance from anthropogenic features, in regression models of invasive plant abundance. We used general linear models to demonstrate and compare associations between invasive plant frequency and Euclidian distance from features, natural logarithm transformed distances (log-linear), and environmental variables which were presented as potential covariates. We expected a steep curvilinear (log or exponential) decline trending towards an asymptote along the axis representing high abundance near features with rapid decrease beyond approximately 50–100 m. Some of the associations we document exhibit this pattern, but we also found some invasive plant distributions that extended beyond our expectations, suggesting a broader distribution than anticipated. Our results provide details that can inform local efforts for management and control of invasive species, and they provide evidence of the different associations between natural patterns and human land use exhibited by nonnative species in this rural setting, such as the indirect effects of humans beyond impact areas.

Compilation and assessment of resource values and hazards to inform transportation planning and associated land-use planning

Land-use planning has an important role in local, regional, State, and Federal land management, and planning efforts can benefit from consistent, spatially explicit information that can help guide priorities and decisions. The credibility and relevance of information used to inform planning activities depends on the availability of consistent information about the resources and values of interest or concern within the planning area. To support long-range transportation planning and other regional land-use planning efforts, the U.S. Geological Survey gathered, processed, interpreted, and compiled spatial datasets representing a wide range of information on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystem condition and importance, cultural (historical) features and places, and natural hazards. This report describes the spatial data compiled to represent natural landscape conditions (including social, cultural, and natural attributes) to estimate the potential importance of lands for wildlife, wild habitats, recreation, and conservation based on abundance of species, habitats, land and water conditions, and conservation designations. Abundance of resources, including the potential number of species, presence of important habitats and protected areas, and proximity to particular features or habitats, indicates the potential sensitivity of the natural landscape to land use, especially transportation networks. The source data, derived indices, and the methods for processing these data are described in this final report. The datasets referenced in the report are available from the U.S. Geological Survey (https://www.sciencebase.gov/catalog/ and https://doi.org/10.5066/F7MW2F8W) or the Central Federal Lands Highway Division of the Office of Federal Lands Highway (https://flh.fhwa.dot.gov).

Annotated bibliography of scientific research on greater sage-grouse published since January 2015

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U.S. Geological Survey Science for the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative - 2008 Annual Report

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