165 
Table 9 
Dispersion of caribou on vegetation types in relation to group size. Values given are 
percentages of observations for the particular group or period. 
Caribou group size 
1-10 11-20 21-99 
Vegetation types N % N % N % 
Dryas integrifolia 7 832) $6 4 18:25 a 35.5 
heath/Sa/lix rotun- 
difolia snowbed 
Dupontia fisheri 9 10:6: 7 | 21.22 3 9.7 
brook meadow 
Eriophorum angus- 44 51.7 11 33.0.° 9 | 29:0 
tifolium marsh 
Carex aquatilis ly 20:0. 4 asl 2 6.5 
marsh 
Salix ovalifolia 8 G4 5. 15.2 6 19.4 
sand dunes 
85 100.00 33 100.0 31 100.0 
17 
29 
Grazing dispersion 
Availability relative to 
100 All groups of vegetation vegetation 
type (%)** availability * ** 
% N %*(A;) (B;) (%) (X;) 
13:8 | 28 18.3 5 35.3 
13.) 24 14.2 4 35.4 
58.6 81 41.8 52, 8.1 
_ 23 ZS) 31 4.1 
103° 22 132 8 171 
100.0 178 100.0 100 100.0 
“Mean percentage normalized to give a total of 100% for all vegetation types. 
**From Table 7. 
***Values (X;, column 13) were calculated from the normalized mean for all groups (Aj, 
column 11), the percentage distribution of vegetation type (Bj, column 12), where i = vegetation 
type (i = 1, 5), i.e. X; = Aj/Bj x 100./DA;/B;. 
the Eriophorum and Carex marsh types could be 
due to their higher water table, which would be 
associated with mosquitos, and to the high 
proportion of standing dead plant material and 
mosses. When utilizing the Eriophorum angusti- 
folium marshes, caribou characteristically grazed 
the raised micro-ridges on the polygons, where 
there was a richer plant growth than in the 
stagnant polygon trough. 
The distribution of caribou on the vegeta- 
tion types in relation to the caribou group size is 
also shown in Table 9. Most observations for the 
small group sizes (1-10 and 11-20 animals per 
group) were made on days when insect harass- 
ment was minimal or absent. Groups in excess of 
100 individuals were noted under conditions of 
severe insect harassment (Table 6) and when 
grazing adjacent to the sand dunes after a period 
of severe harassment. During periods of mild to 
severe insect harassment, no animals were ob- 
served grazing the Carex marsh, while at other 
times the distribution of animals was similar to 
that noted for periods of zero to mild insect 
harassment. 
(b) Botanical composition of EF samples. 
The reindeer were taken to the general locality 
of each vegetation type and allowed to graze 
freely while attached to a 20 m rope. 
Site 1: July 4-6. This site was located in the 
E. angustifolium polygon marsh type. Seven EF 
samples were collected. The results of the botan- 
ical analysis are shown in Appendix Table 1. E. 
angustifolium, with a mean of 45.6% green 
tissue, constituted the largest portion of the 
contents at this time. Also, a large portion of 
dead tissue was collected. Of the total collection 
of E. angustifolium, 62% was green and 38% 
dead. 
Site 2: July 15-16. This site was located on 
the raised dry heath beds along the river banks. 
Dryas integrifolia was the principal constituent 
of the heath, and Sa/ix rotundifolia dominated 
the adjacent snowbeds. Although these vegeta- 
tion types were distinguishable, their proximity 
to each other and overlapping occurrence made 
grazing so overlapping that they were considered 
as one unit. Five EF samples were collected 
