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<br />3.0 RESULTS <br />~.1 YE~ETATION DESCRIPTION <br />The distribution of the five vegetation types in the study area is depicted in Mep 1. <br />3.1.1 ASPEN <br />The Aspen vegetation type is quite variable in the study area due largely to the effects of beaver <br />actwity. Aspen stands range from those with a tell and vigorous aspen overstory (Figure I) to <br />those with no aspen present whatsoever due to intense depredation by beaver (Figure 2). The <br />ahundan± dead aspen trees fel led by the beaver and the presence of aspen understory plants <br />clearly indicate the proper identity of these latter areas. Over the entire vegetation type, total <br />vegetation cover was 80.4 ~ (Table 1) and the single species with the greatest first hit cover <br />was aspen (Pooulus tremuloides) with 12.4 ~ cover. Shrubs and subshrubs, es a lifeform, <br />accounted for the most cover (26.40, followed closely by perennial forbs (26.0 cover). <br />Dominant shrubs were Saskatoon serviceberry (Amelanchier elnifolia, 9.2~ cover), mountain <br />snowberry (Symphoricarpos oreophilus, 4.8~ wver), Oambel oak (OuercusQambelii, 3.6~ <br />• cover), and choV.echerry(Prunusvirainianavar.melanocarpe,2.6~cover). Moderately <br />common were mountain maple (Acer alebrum), trumpet Gooseberry (Ribes leotanihum ), end <br />thimbleberry (Rubus oarviflorus). Minor shrubs present were Oregon grape (hlehonia <br />re ens), mountain lover (Paxistime mvrsinites), Woods rose (Rosa woodsii), and mountain ash <br />(Sorbus sc~ouline). <br />Dominant perennial forbs were mountain bluebells (Mertensia ciliate, 4.2~ cover), cutleaf <br />conellower (Rudbeckia leciniata, 4.0~ cover), bracken fern (Pteridium eauilinum, arguably <br />not a forh,3.0~ rover), hutterweedgroundsel (Senecioserra, 2.8~ rover}, and Fendler <br />meadowrue (Thalicirum fendleri, 1.2~ cover). Moderately common forbs included western <br />yarrow (Achiliea millefoiium ssp. lanuiosal, bractedaster (Aster cf. foliacPaus), Engalmenn <br />aster (Aster enoelmannii), Rocky Mountain hemlock parsley (Conioselinum scooulorum), green <br />gentian (Frasera soeciosa), white-flowered peavine (Lathvrus ieucenthus), spreading aniseroot <br />(Osmorhiza chilensis), American vetch (Vieia americena), end violet (Viola sp.). <br />Perennial greminoids comprised 15.2 ~ cover; the major species present were Kentucky <br />• bluegrass (Poa oratensis), blue wildrye (Elvmus olaucus), and Agassiz blur_~ress (Pna <br />aaassizensis). Moderately abundant graminoids present included pumpelly brome (Bromoosis <br />-6- <br />