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J )2 ~ 0 3 Summary or endangered species were found to occur, no conservation measures required through the USfWS section 7 consultation would be necessary. BIODIVERSITY AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT Biodiversity was assessed at both the regional area and analysis area scale. Gamma diversity in the regional area is comprised of the types and patterns of habitats, the linkages and/or barriers between them, and the species found within them. Natural disturbance, urbanization, private land use, construction and maintenance of highways and roads, timber harvest, mining, and recreation have all contributed to the relatively high degree of habitat patchiness in this area. The regional area also encompasses, at least in part, the Maroon Bells-Snowmass and HWlter-Frying Pan wildernesses. Within the regional area, existing migration corridors or linkages for hig game and other species not only provide for a means of transferring genetic material among populations at the regional scale. but may also provide transitional habitat for movement of genes, populations, and communities in response to more global disturbances such as climatic change. The same factors that gave rise to the community patchiness and fragmentation at the regional scale have also been imponant in shaping biodiversity at the analysis area scale. Because of this patchiness, a diversity of plant. animal. and habitat types has evolved and resulted in a relatively high level of alpha and beta diversity. The existing analysis area is characterized by an assemblage of naturally occurring (e.g.. fIre and avalanche) and anthropogenic (e.g., road construction, commercial and private development) habitat types. The analysis area contains a number of sensitive habitat types including recruitment and potential old growth forest stands. Recruitment stands arc characterized by many of the same attributes as old growth stands but are not old enough to be properly considered old growth. "Potential old growth" refers to stands which appear to have old growth characteristics but detailed stand data is not available for age confmnation. ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES bnpacts to biodiversity (including habitat fragmentation and elimination of habitat linkages) would be minor under the No Action Alternative since additional clearing for the already approved developments would lie in or adjacent to existing artifIcial openings. Under Alternative B, impacts to biodiversity would result mainly from construction of the Steeplechase and Highland Bowl lifts, and the Steeplechase, Highland Bowl and Temerity catwalks. Forest fragmeotation would result in an additional 62 forest patches (19 percent increase) with 92 percent of the increase being 0-5 acre blocks. Tree clearing and revegetation would affect geoetic diversity if exotic plants that out-compete local flora are introduced. In areas where weeds are able to out-compete and eventually dominate the local flora, the native plants are likely to be locally extirpated, thus resulting in a local decrease in the alpha diversity of that area. Glading and/or habitat fragmentation would render remaining habitats unsuitable for certain forest-interior or area sensitive species thereby also impacting alpha diversity. Tree clearing could also affect diversity by altering the ratio of individuals of edge-tolerant/forest-interior species, and reducing habitat evenness. The resulting change in spatial configurations between habitat blocks could impact gamma diversity. Since most of the forest fragmentation under both Alternative B and C would occur on the east side of Aspen Highlands, and forest fragmentation in Maroon Bowl (which is excluded in Alterative C) would be limited, biodiversity impacts in Alternative C would be similar to those in Alternative B. The oumber of forest patcbes would increase by 63 (20 percent) relative to the No Action Alternative (almost all in the 0-5 acre block size). Alternative C could more severely fragment potential old growth spruce-fIr stands (which tend to harbor more species than young growth) between Highland Bowl and Steeplechase lifts and along the egress route below Steeplechase Lift. Another differmce could be introduction of a more exotic species to revegetate the Ridge and Highland surface lifts. S~ctioll III Biodiver.sily 23