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Rodent Trapping <br />• Non-game mammals, primarily rodents, were sampled by live-trapping. Density <br />estimates using grids were conducted in September 1979. Seasonal abundance <br />estimates were conducted on transects during July, September, November 1979, and <br />May and July, 1980. Some rodents ore found in oll habitat Types while others are <br />more habitat-specific. <br />Riparian - The Trout Creek riparian habitat which is adjacent to the <br />Edna Mine area supported the highest rodent density (Exhibit 2.7-8) in September, but <br />for the entire year it was second lowest in rodent abundance (Exhibit 2.7-9). Species <br />diversity during density estimates and during seasonal abundance estimates was the <br />highest among all habitat types (p< 0.01). Four rodent species and one insectivore <br />were captured during density estimates (Table 2.7-7) and five rodents, one insectivore <br />and one mustelid were captured during seasonal abundance estimates (Table 2.7-8). <br />Deer mice (Peromyscus maniculaTus), montane voles (Microtus montanus) and long- <br />tailed voles (M. longicaudus) were the dominant rodent species. <br />The high rodent density during September was due to the movement of deer <br />mice into the riparian habitat from adjacent habitots. Deer mouse abundance, which <br />• peaked in September, has since declined while vole abundance has increased. IT <br />appears that these mice, which are reputed to be indicative of disturbance <br />(Armstrong, 1977), are frequent visitors but not residents on Trout Creek. This is <br />supported by the fact that soils in the riparian habitat retain a high moisture content <br />resulting in frozen soil and cold burrows during the winter. The voles pelage and <br />morphology are better adapted To these conditions than Peromyscus spP. Deleting <br />deer mice captures from The density estimate reduced riparian rodent density to 106 <br />rodents/ha. <br />Aspen - This habitat and the Trout Creek riparian are not scheduled <br />for any disturbance. During rodent density estimates, the aspen ranked third in <br />density and diversity (Exhibit 2.7-8). During seasonal abundance estimates, it <br />supported the lowest abundance (p < 0.05) and ranked third in diversity (Exhibit 2.7- <br />9). Six rodents and one insectivore were captured during density estimation (Table <br />2.7-7). Long-tailed voles were the dominant species captured during the rodent <br />density studies with deer mice ranking second. During the year of trapping, deer <br />mice were The dominant rodent captured. <br />These Two wooded habitats, aspen and riparian, each support two mammals <br />• which are specific To the habitat (i.e., they appear to be obligates in the area <br />2.7-31 <br />