Biodiversity and Land‐Use Change in the American Mountain West

Abstract

Rural private lands in the Mountain West of the United States are undergoing a profound land‐use conversion, from agriculture to low‐density residential or exurban development, though little scientific study documents the ecological consequences of this change. Nongovernmental conservation organizations are working with ranchers to keep rangeland out of development and in ranching, ostensibly because these organizations believe that biodiversity is better protected on ranches than on exurban developments. We compared plant and wildlife communities across the principal rural land uses in the Mountain West: protection, livestock ranching, and exurban development. Native plant and faunal biodiversity was better maintained on ranches and protected areas than on exurban developments. Exurban developments favored species that were nonnative or adapted to human‐altered environments. The continued conversion of ranches to exurban development suggests a long‐term alteration of the region's natural heritage.

• biodiversity
• exurban development
• land use
• ranching

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Jeremy D. Maestas

Mr. Maestas is a graduate student in wildlife biology at Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523–1474

Richard L. Knight

Dr. Knight is a professor of conservation biology

Wendell C. Gilgert

Mr. Gilgert is a faculty affiliate from the usda‐nrcs Wildlife Habitat Management Institute.