Influences of Cliffs on Wildlife Communities in Southcentral Wyoming

Cliffs increased topographic heterogeneity in grasslands and influenced physical and biological processes to create an array of vegetative characteristics that were only observed on cliff sites. Although heterogeneity may occur in hilly terrain without cliffs, cliffs provided benefits for some wildlife species that hilly terrain alone could not provide; e.g., secure nesting sites and protection against predation and extreme environmental conditions. Cliff sites had a higher diversity of vegetation that was associated with an increase in small mammal and bird diversity and abundances than control sites.