VEGETATION AND HABITATS 



A quantitative description of 1978-1979 changes in vegetation has 

 been presented in the 1979 vegetation monitoring study annual report 

 (DNRC, 1979b). Due to the relatively moist summer, fall, and wincer of 

 1978, 1979 soil moisture was good, and vegetative productivity was quite 

 high (although not as high as the exceptional productivity observed in 1978). 

 Residual grass stems from 1978 produced a striking increase in litter accumu- 

 lation, which may explain the high 1978-1979 overwinter survival rates shown 

 by small mammal populations in spite of the severe winter (see page 65). 

 Heavy snow accumulations in coulees over the winter of 1978-79 caused 

 considerable damage co Shepherdia argentea plants in the Mine Study Area, 

 and many branches or even encire shrubs were killed on some of the bird 

 census plots. 



Habitat mapping of the entire Iline Study Area was completed during 

 the study period at a scale of 1:24,000. Mapping of habitat categories 

 followed the classification system reported in the WBS. Copies of the map 

 are available ac cost from DNRC. 



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