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<br />3.0 RESULTS <br />3.1 VEGETATION DESGRIPTION <br />The distribution of the five vegetation types in the study area is depicted in Mep 1 <br />a.t.l ASPEN <br />The Aspen vegetation type is quite vac table in the study area due largely to the effects of beaver <br />activity. Aspen stands range from those witn a tell and vigorous esper~ overstory (Figure I) to <br />those with no aspen present whaiscever due to intense depredation by beaver (Figure 2). The <br />abundant dead aspen trees felled by the beaver and the presence of aspen understory plants <br />clearly indigte 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 (Populus tremuloides) with 12.9 ~ cover. Shrubs and subshrubs, es a lifeform, <br />accounted for the most cover (26.4 ), 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~ cover), Oambel oak (Ouercus oambelii, 3.6~ <br />• cover), and chokecherry (Prunus virpiniane var. melanocarpe, 2.6~ cover). Moderately <br />common were mountain maple (Ater plabrum), trumpet gooseberry (Ribes leoianihum), end <br />thimbleberry (Rubus parviflorus). Minor shrubs present were Oregon grape (Mehonia <br />repens), mountain lover (Paxisiime mvrsinites), Woods rose (Rosa woodsii), end mountain ash <br />(Sorbus scopuline). <br />Dominant perennial forbs were mountain bluebells (Mertensia ciliata, 4.2~ cover), cuileaf <br />coneflower (Rudbeckia laciniata, 4.0~ cover), bracken fern (Pteridium eouilinum, arguably <br />not a forh,3.0~ rover), butlerweedgreundsel (Senecioserra, 2.8~ cover), and Fendler <br />meadowrue (Thalictrum fendleri, 1.2~ cover). Moderately common forbs included western <br />yarrow (AChillea millefolium ssp. lanulosa), bractedasier (Aster cf. foliaceous), Engelmenn <br />aster (Aster enaelmannii), Rocky Mountain hemlock parsley (Conioselinum scepulorum), green <br />gentian (Frasera soeciosa), white-flowered peavine (Lathvrus leucenthus), spreading ar~iseroot <br />(Osmorhiza chilensis), American vetch (Viciaamericana), endviolet (Viola sp. ). <br />Perennial greminoids comprised 15.2 ~ cover; the major species present were Kentucky <br />. bluegrass (Poa praiensis), bluewildrye (Elvmusolaucus), and A;assiz blu?~rass (Pry? <br />agassizensis). Moderately abundant greminoids present included pumpelly brome (Bromopsis <br />-6- <br />