Integrating Wildlife Count Models With State-and-Transition Models to Enhance Rangeland Management for Multiple Objectives

State-and-transition models (STMs) are tools used in rangeland management to describe linear and nonlinear vegetation dynamics as conceptual models. STMs can be improved by including additional ecosystem services, such wildlife habitat, so that managers predict how local populations might respond state changes illustrate the tradeoffs managing for different services. Our objective was incorporate songbird density into an STM developed sagebrush rangelands northwest Colorado guide of birds. The included two shrub-dominated community phases, a native grassland state, shrubland phase within exotic-dominated state. We surveyed plots songbirds, collected suite indicators at each plot, quantified habitat relationships with count-based regression then estimated based on average conditions per or phase. Moderate increasing shrub cover were important predictors shrubland-associated species, responses understory components varied species. In STM, we predicted higher densities bird species phases grassland-associated lacking cover. No single captured highest all illustrating value alternative states. results also demonstrate utility displaying traditional count against range associated understand vary states phases. approach assist land gauge potential impacts land-use decisions natural variability wildlife, especially conservation concern.