Prairie Dog Monitoring in Northern Great Plains Network
Northern Great Plains Network. Prairie Dog Monitoring in Northern Great Plains Network. 1998. National Park Service
Black-tailed prairie dogs are an ecologically dominant species that influences grassland biodiversity, vegetation composition and structure, forage availability, and nutrient cycling. Several species such as the burrowing owl, mountain plover and ferruginous hawks are closely tied to prairie dog towns. Prairie dog management is highly controversial, and managers need data on current status, trends and distribution to facilitate and defend management decisions. This protocol is intended to determine area and spatial characteristics of active towns annually.
- Type
- Project
- Authors
- Northern Great Plains Network
- Publisher
- National Park Service
- Units
- SCBL