25 



in surrounding habitats could lead to a decline in 

 their size. More detailed studies would be needed 

 to fully assess the effects of such grazing on L. 

 klausi i . 



B. STABILITY OF CURRENTLY KNOWN POPULATIONS: Aside from 

 the potential threats outlined above, most populations 



of L. klausi i appear to be currently stable. Owing to 

 their smaller size, and/or potential impacts from road 



maintenance, the following seven populations may have 



lower long-term viability: 



Burnt Gulch <007) 



Blacksmith Gulch (010) 



Kelly Gulch (011) 



Prices Gulch (012) 



Newlan Creek Reservoir (021) 



Sieben Ranch Ridge (024) 



Soup Creek West (025) 



The remaining populations are large, or are not 

 immediately threatened, and their long-term viability 

 is thus reasonably assured. Of particular importance 

 in maintaining the species are the six populations 

 which occur either within the Gates of the Mountains 

 Wilderness Area (♦), or wholly or partially in the 

 vehicle closure area along its southern boundary: 



Hunters Gulch (001) 



Nelson (007) 



♦Big Log Gulch-Hunters Gulch Ridge (013) 



♦Sheep Mountain Pass (014) 



Moors Creek (015) 



♦Keepout Gulch (018) 



C. MANAGEMENT PRACTICES AND RESPONSE: As previously 

 discussed, L. k lausi i has a tolerance to disturbance, 

 as evidenced by its ecological preference for more open 

 habitats (steep shale barrens and rocky slopes), and 



its ability to colonize altered sites such as open 

 roadbanks. Surface alteration of small areas adjacent 

 to the larger populations thus may not have an adverse 

 effect on the long-term viability of such sites. 

 However, large-scale habitat alteration, i.e., from 

 mining operations, could potentially result in the 

 extirpation of populations. Other kinds of land use, 

 including livestock grazing, do not seem to have had a 

 serious impact on populations of the species. 



D. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR MAINTAINING VIABLE POPULATIONS: 

 The following recommendations are made to insure the 

 long-term persistence of viable populations of L. 

 klausii on U.S. Forest Service lands in Montana: 



