Sagebrush - Mountains and Plains: The Ecology of Wyoming Landscapes - page 130

2003 and was associated with increased mosquito abun-
dance, caused most likely by wastewater ponds created
during the extraction of coalbed methane. 101 Hundreds
of new ponds were constructed in sage-grouse habitat
in the Powder River Basin alone. Attempts to identify
the virus as the cause of population declines have been
confounded by an extended drought that occurred at
the same time, which could have reduced food avail-
ability. Disease and drought together, along with habi-
tat fragmentation, surely contributed to the alarming
80 percent decline in sage-grouse numbers in the Pow-
der River Basin from 2001 to 2012.
the control of road construction, traffic, prescribed
fires, well location, and livestock grazing is feasible,
but now the less-controllable effects of climate change
must be considered as well. Warming could benefit
sage-grouse, possibly by favoring the production of the
insects required by chicks. Unfortunately, warming also
favors the spread of West nile virus—and the droughts

that could result from warming could cause an unstop-
pable decline in big sagebrush cover. 102

overall, traveling by car or foot though intermountain
basins offers views to the horizon of a seemingly nat-
ural sagebrush ecosystem—monotonous to some but
inviting to others. the changes over the years are some-
times subtle and not obvious from the road, but aerial
views reveal miles of new pipelines, transmission lines,
and roads constructed for resource extraction. Recon-
ciling the needs of threatened wildlife populations
with fossil fuel extraction is one of the greatest chal-
lenges facing western states. 103 State governors have
taken unusual steps in an attempt to reverse the trend
for sage-grouse, as discussed further in chapter 18.
Along with the confounding effects of climate change,
the issues involved are complex and surely will affect
the way people benefit from sagebrush-dominated eco-
systems in the future.