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Well-Connected Core Areas Retain Ecological Integrity of Sagebrush Ecosystems (2018–2021) [U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service]

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service · 2018 Full Details

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Full Details

Title
Well-Connected Core Areas Retain Ecological Integrity of Sagebrush Ecosystems (2018–2021) [U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service]
Description
File-based downloads available at https://www.sciencebase.gov/catalog/item/67aa1820d34e329fb204348b Conservation of species' mobility and ecological integrity is necessary for the productivity of the sagebrush biome in the western United States. Building on the recently developed Sagebrush Conservation Design (SCD) that mapped sagebrush ecological integrity (SEI)—defined as the higher cover of sagebrush and perennial grass and reduced threats due to invasive annual grass, tree encroachment, and human disturbance—we modeled the structural connectivity of sagebrush ecosystems to better incorporate the role of landscape-level processes into assessments of integrity. Because integrity can vary spatially, as well as temporally, we quantified both interannual variability and trends in variability in SEI from 2001-2021. We used the resultant map to identify areas with high structural landscape connectivity (i.e., "well-connected cores"), then determined the coincident core sagebrush areas (CSAs) that represent functioning sagebrush ecosystem with few landscape threats, and growth opportunity areas (GOAs) that represent functioning systems impacted by one or more threats as originally defined and mapped in the SCD. We found that CSAs were located in areas with higher landscape connectivity, and the biome-wide average of SEI declined by 30% from 2001 to 2021, although the structural connectivity biome-wide declined one-third less (by 20%). CSAs located in areas with high connectivity had 25% higher SEI values on average than those with low connectivity, and the trend in declining SEI values was slower. Our datasets of landscape connectivity can be combined with other SCD products to provide a broader ecosystem context—both spatially and temporally. Our results can be used to inform, refine, focus, and prioritize conservation and management efforts to those CSAs and GOAs we identified as particularly well connected and which may be more resilient to recently altered dynamics and declines—those that will serve to anchor efforts to conserve the sagebrush biome in light of changing land use and climate.
Creator
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Temporal Coverage
2018-2021
Date Issued
2025-05-02
Rights
Although these data and information have been processed successfully on a computer system at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, USFWS, no warranty expressed or implied is made regarding the accuracy or utility of the data and information on any other system or for general or scientific purposes, nor shall the act of distribution constitute any such warranty. Inherent in any data set used to develop graphical representations are limitations of accuracy as determined by, among others, the source, scale and resolution of the data. This disclaimer applies both to individual use of the data and information, and aggregate use with other data and information. It is also strongly recommended that careful attention be paid to the contents of the metadata file associated with this data and information, and aggregate use with other data and information. The USFWS is not liable for the user’s improper or incorrect use of the data and information described and/or contained herein. These data and any derived products are not legal documents and are not intended to be used as such. The information contained in these data may be dynamic and could change over time. The data are not better than the original sources from which they are derived. It is the responsibility of the data user to use the data appropriately and consistent with the limitations of geospatial data in general and these data in particular. It is strongly recommended that the data described or contained herein be acquired directly from an authorized USFWS source and not indirectly through some other sources which may have changed the data in some way. The USFWS is not liable for data or information that indirectly acquired through other sources.
Access Rights
Public
Format
ArcGIS ImageMapLayer
Language
English
Date Added
August 10, 2025
Provenance Statement
The metadata for this resource was last retrieved from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Open Data on 2025-08-24.

Links

Cite and Reference

  • Citation
    U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (2025). Well-Connected Core Areas Retain Ecological Integrity of Sagebrush Ecosystems (2018–2021) [U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service]. . https://gis-fws.opendata.arcgis.com/content/fws::well-connected-core-areas-retain-ecological-integrity-of-sagebrush-ecosystems-20182021 (web service)
  • BTAA Geoportal Link

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