Synthesizing the ecological impacts of disturbance on wildlife in pinyon-juniper ecosystems

Abstract

Pinyon and juniper ecosystems in the interior western United States are undergoing changes due to wildfire, drought, climate change, and associated disturbance agents (e.g., insect outbreak), while also infilling within some existing woodlands and expanding into other ecosystems (e.g., sagebrush). These multiple, often interacting disturbances are likely affecting wildlife, including species of conservation concern. However, study findings have been highly varied, conflicting, or constrained by data availability. We performed a systematic literature review to provide an overview of wildlife responses to disturbance in pinyon-juniper (PJ) ecosystems, identifying and cataloguing published literature based on geography, study type, primary research focus, ecological characteristics, and response type. We then applied a narrative approach to synthesize the current knowledge from the included studies to identify important knowledge gaps and to identify future research priorities. Our findings highlight the complexity and variability in wildlife responses to disturbance. Drought, insect outbreak, and wildfire impact PJ-associated wildlife in multifaceted ways, with species responses differing based on habitat type and species-specific traits. We also identify notable gaps in the research literature, due in part to taxonomic biases (limiting exploration of the diversity of PJ ecosystems and associated taxa), a lack of data on long-term and interacting disturbance effects (particularly under experimental conditions), and a limited understanding of direct mechanisms driving wildlife responses. Filling these research gaps and monitoring wildlife in PJ ecosystems can inform long-term management and improve the resiliency of wildlife communities in these important ecological systems.