Waterfowl Populations 
In sgtimating trends in waterfowl breeding populations, both soil and yage- 
tative types wore taken into consideration in laying out transects. Howavyer, 
dus to tha influence of yerotation and terrain upon habitat types, yogstatirs 
zones have been found to bs of greater yalus and slenificanecs In aasambling 
comparative population data. Ths feorraphical location of veestative typas 1s 
dependant mainly upon precipitation, which in turn influences typos and conditions 
of water areas. Prsaant soil types, on ths other hand, do not follow present 
vagstativs zones and.ara subject te great yartations in rainfall, making ths 
Agsamblags of population data by soil types of questionable valus in Albsrta, 
unless 4 dstailed breakdown is possibls, by land-use as well as proctnitation 
and tha zonal charactoristics of Its plant life. 
By way of comparison, the following chart includes three years of waterfowl 
tbresding populations as obssryved on identical transects, 
Table 2, --Waterfowl Bresding Populations by Soil Tynes 
soil Type 1947 1948 1949 Changs in 1949 
Brow 21.3 ani 17.5 ~bi% 
Dark brown 46.6 25,6 22.45 -21% 
Shallow tlack 16,4 25.8 2) 48 - 3% 
Black 20.0 11.9 22 flll% _ 
* Ducks per squars mils, 
After the second year of this survey, the Provines head beon traversed 
thearoughly snough to give o feir picture of the ralative position of ths 
Vegatational zones, Thua th: comparisons of populationa by verstativs typss ara 
for 1948 and 1949 only. 
Table 3. --Waterfowl Bresding Populations by Vegetative Types* 
Types 1948 1949 Change in 1949 
Short-gragse prairis 26.2 11.4 -55% 
Transition 49.9 28,0 -29%, 
Parklands ie aie eF Fe 59% 
* Tucks per squars mile 
Ths 1948 figures in Table 3 do not corraspond exactly with figures given 
in the 1948 report. The discrepancy occurs because the catszory "Agricultural" 
Was included in 1948. This year it has besn omitted and sach trangaect has besn 
assigned to one of threes yegetativs zrones, regardless of their land usa. This 
was done beacayse of the spring drought cenditions and the tatsl absence of ducks 
and water from several transects orsviously classified as agricultural, Then 
toc, as the season propresasd, it was apparent that much cf ths land in several 
of the transects thet would have normally been classified as agricultural was 
bsing allowed ta ramain untouched or had been planted tut was to producs grain 
of about two inches in height whick withstred and disd from lack of moisturs, 
42 
