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WREN - ROWLAND HALL PREP

GREATER SAGE-GROUSE HABITAT STUDIES
FALL 2017

Introduction

What makes Science a unique style of understanding the world is the use of the Scientific Method: stating a question, posting a hypothesis, collecting data, analyzing the data and the determining whether to support or refute the hypothesis. ​

​​This page contains data and images collected by students of Rowland Hall during field trips to Southern Utah. During these field trips they collected data to study habitat preferences of female Greater sage-grouse.

Background

Picture


​In the spring, female Greater sage-grouse are watching males display on leks (a traditional place where males assemble during the mating season and engage in competitive displays that attract females) , in order to select the 'best' male to mate with.  They are using sagebrush and other shrubs to hide from the elements and predators.  Females are also looking for a place to make a nest once they mate.  Nests are located under larger sagebrush, to protect the next and the hen from visual predators.
​Gathering Data
Rowland Hall students learned about Greater sage-grouse in Southern Utah.  Then, we investigated the habitat of female sage-grouse.  Using known locations of grouse, we compared habitat characteristics of these actual locations to random locations. We used these comparisons to support or refute our hypothesis.
Picture
Shrub Height
​

Measuring shrub height gives an indication is the sagebrush and other shrubs are high enough to provide shelter from the elements or to provide a nesting location.
Picture
Ground Composition
​

Ground composition is a measure of what types of vegetation are in the landscape.  Nesting hens prefer a diversity of plants such as grasses and forbs, surrounding their nesting location.  This provides visual cover from predators. It is also harder to detect their scent in a mixed vegetation environment.
Click To View Full Lesson Plan, Data, and Conclusions

 PHOTO GALLERY - ROWLAND HALL PREP

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  • Home
  • Outreach & Education
    • Wildlife Research Education Network >
      • WREN - Canyon View High School
      • WREN - Cedar High School >
        • Wild Bee ID Guide
      • WREN - Kanab High School
      • WREN - Rowland Hall Prep
    • Southern Utah Wild Turkey Research
    • Cedar Breaks Wildlife Inventory
    • Ringtail Cat Research
  • Questions from the Community
    • Animal Conservation Questions
    • Agriculture/Wildlife Conflict Questions
    • Animal Identification Questions
    • Backyard Wildlife Questions >
      • Squirrel Questions from the Community
  • Wildlife Ecology & Management
    • Free-Roaming Horses Information
    • Free-Roaming Horses: National Survey of U. S. Public Knowledge and Opinions
    • Public Knowledge and Opinion of Free-roaming Horses
    • Public Opinion of Horse Management
    • Horse and Wildlife Interactions
    • Appendix 1 Knowledge Questions Asked in National Survey
  • Agricultural Wildlife Management
  • Sensitive Species Management
    • Utah Prairie Dog Conservation
  • Featured Animal Topics
    • Amphibians
    • Birds
    • Small Mammals >
      • Fox Squirrels
    • Intermediate Mammals
    • Large Mammals
    • Reptiles
    • Arthropods
  • Meet the Specialist
  • Additional Resources