VEGETATION AND HABITATS 



A quantitative description of changes in vegetation from 1977 to 1980 was 

 presented in the 1980 vegetation monitoring study annual report (Prodgers 1981). 

 Due to drought conditions in 1980, net aerial production for most grassland 

 communities was generally as low or lower than that recorded for the last severe 

 drought year, 1977. The decline in production from 1978, a year of 

 exceptionally high production, to 1980 was most apparent in western wheatgrass 

 and necdie-and-thread ; blue grama did not show a clear variation (Prodgers 

 19811. Residual grass cover from 1979 was far less than from 1978. 



-6- 



