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vegetation types are given in Table 1. Each habitat is described <br />• below in terms of extent, location, and characteristics. <br />Mountain Brush <br />Mountain brush is the most prevalent habitat on the wildlife <br />survey area, encompassing approximately 1,794 acres; about 61X of the <br />entire area. This habitat is found on moderate to steep exposed <br />slopes throughout the proposed mine area; there is little mountain <br />brush along the haul road corridor where the topography is relatively <br />flat. The vegetation in mountain brush is characterized by tall <br />deciduous shrubs. Gambel oak ( uercus gambeli) and Saskatoon service- <br />berry (Amelanchier alnifolia) are the dominant woody species, but <br />chokecherry (Padus virginiana) and mountain snowberry (SVmohoricaraos <br />rotundifolius) also are quite common. In some areas, the vegetation <br />• in mountain brush habitat is very dense and extremely difficult for <br />humans to move through; on steeper sites the mountain brush is rather <br />open and easy to negotiate. The understory is dominated by herbaceous <br />species and varies greatly in density relative to the woody overstory. <br />Sagebrush <br />Sagebrush habitat is the second most extensive habitat on the <br />wildlife survey area, occupying approximately 521 acres. This habitat <br />occurs as scattered patches on high flats and ridge tops with deeper <br />soils, and in larger more contiguous blocks on lower elevation range- <br />land within the area. Sagebrush was the most extensive habitat along <br />the haul road corridor, covering approximately 45X of the route. <br /> Mountain big sagebrush (Seriohidium vasevanum ) is codominant with <br /> <br />• mountain snowberry in most sagebrush areas. Greasewood (Sarcobatus <br />9 <br />