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• NORTH FARM ROAD aRnvFE
<br />PIOt III IIIIIIIII IIII III'
<br />the invasion of the site be annual needs, foaur~r uurre999 mane up «'
<br />and rabbitfoot grass and a strong increase in a ire rush the charac
<br />and iris, rat factors
<br />R'ilcllifc'
<br />The qualit}- and quantih' of the mailable p'ilrllife
<br />habitat largeh~ determine the kinds of "ildlife that are
<br />present. The soil provides food. cover. ;md water where
<br />«'ildlife can find places to feed. breed, rear young, and
<br />escape enemies. \I'hile soils are the basis for habitat
<br />and for a dh~ersity of habitat type, hso additional fac-
<br />tor's that greatly influence wildlife populations iu the
<br />F,io Grande Count}' area are laud use or management
<br />and water. The kinds and numbers of wildlife on land
<br />used for potato production differ significantly from the
<br />n'ildlife on land used for barley or range.
<br />The availabilih- of water for irrigation has per-
<br />mitter) land use changes that have greatly- affected the
<br />kinds and numbers of tsildlife. Irrigation has changed
<br />substantial acreages from range to field crops, for ex-
<br />ample, potatoes, barley, and hay. The introduction of
<br />grain, and to a lesser extent forage crops, has resulted
<br />in au excellent population oC u'uterfop'1 in the sursey-
<br />area and a fair population of pheasants.
<br />Tables 3 and 9 show the suitability of the carious
<br />soils in the F.io Grande County Area to provide the hab-
<br />itat elements necessary for y;uimts kinds of tsildlife.
<br />Soil; directly influence the kind and amount of vege-
<br />tation and the amount of water available, and in this
<br />u-a}' influence the kinds of tcikilife that can lice in an
<br />area. Soil properties that affect the gron'th of tsildlife
<br />habitat are thickness of soil useful to crops, texture of
<br />the surface layer, available water capacity, wetness,
<br />surface stoniness or l'ockiness, flood hazard, slope, and
<br />permeability of the soil to air and pater.
<br />In table 3, nonirrigated soils are rated for producing
<br />seven elements of wildlife habitat and four groups or
<br />kinds of n'ildlife. Table 4 rates irrigated soils for pro-
<br />ducing four elements of tsildlife habitat and hco kinds
<br />of wildlife. The ratings indicate relative suitability for
<br />carious elements and are expressed as follotcs.
<br />A rating of t/ood means that habitat is easily im-
<br />proved, maintained, or created. There are fen- w' no
<br />soil limitations in management, and satisfactorc re-
<br />sults can be expected.
<br />A rating of f«u' means that habitat can be improsed.
<br />maintained. or created, but moderate soil limitations
<br />affect management m• development. A moderate inten-
<br />sits of management and fairly frequent attention may
<br />be required to insure satisfactory' results.
<br />A rating of poor means that habitat can be im-
<br />prosed, maintained. or created, but soil limitations are
<br />severe. \Lmagement can be dif}icult and expensive and
<br />require iutensise effort. F.esults are questionable.
<br />A rating of rend lmor means that under the presail-
<br />ing soil conditions, it is impractical to attempt to im-
<br />prose, maintain. or create habitats. Unsatisfactory re-
<br />sults are probable.
<br />Each soil is rated according to its suitabilit} for pro-
<br />ducing carious kind: of plants and other elements that
<br />~'r~me ly. 31r>r.aaa, State biologist, Soil Conservation Sen'-
<br />ice, helper) prepare this section.
<br />ildlife habitat. The ratings take into account
<br />teristir of the soih and closely related uaht-
<br />of tl,e ensicoument. The}' do not take into
<br />account the prevent use of soils or the present distribtr
<br />lion of wildlife and people. For this reason, selection of
<br />a site fm' development of a habitat requires inspection
<br />at the site.
<br />Crrtiu «nrl seer/ ,~+opa' are annLl;ll $ralfl-pt'J(IUCIRg
<br />plant;. such as barley and oats.
<br />DanrsLic .ry,ns.>r, (tart h!imues are domestic grasses
<br />and legumes that :u~e established by- planting and
<br />provide food and cocer for «'ildlife. Grasses :u'e tall
<br />tcheatgrass, meadop~ foxtnil. Eussian tcildrye, reed
<br />canasy-gras;. and timothy. Legume; commonly used are
<br />alfalfa, sp'eetclot'er, red closet', and alsike closer.
<br />If"ild herbaceous pJrurts are native or inh•oduced pe-
<br />rennial grasses, forb;. and weeds that provide food and
<br />cocer for upland wildlife. Examples of herbaceous
<br />plants h'pical of the area are Indian ricegra;s, western
<br />p'heatgrass, alkali sacaton, blue grama, saltgrnss, fox-
<br />tail barley, and alkali cordgrass.
<br />Corti/'crows pJ«nts are roue-bearing tree; and shrubs
<br />that pruside cocer nnrl frequently furnish food in the
<br />form of browse, seeds m' fruit-like cones. They com-
<br />monly grow in their natural ent'ironment, but they can
<br />be planted and managed. Typical plants are spruce, fir,
<br />pin}-on pine, and juniper. aspen, cottoup'ood, and orna-
<br />mental trees and shrubs are also included.
<br />Shr«Ls produce burl;, tn-ig;, bark. or foliage rued as
<br />food Ly wildlife. They :dso proside cocer aud' shade
<br />for some u'ilrllite specie;. These plmrts most commonly
<br />grow' in their natural eusironmeut. Fourtciug salt-
<br />bush, rabbitbrush. sagebrush, and greasewoorl are h•pi-
<br />cal.
<br />I['rN«ud plants are annual :md perennial herbaceous
<br />plants that grow' u-ild on moist and wet sites. They fur-
<br />nish food and cocer mostly for wetland wildlife. Typi-
<br />cal examples are smarhseerl, tufted hairgrass, spike-
<br />rush and other rushes. sedges, cattails, and northern
<br />redgrass. Submerged and floating aquatics are not
<br />included in this category.
<br />Sh«I~on' rrnter «ren.y are areas of surface pater, an
<br />aset:lge depth of less than a feet. that are useful to
<br />n'ildlife. They mat' be natural wet areas or those
<br />created by d~nu or levees or by water-control desires
<br />in marshes or streams. Typical examples are n'aterfou•1
<br />feeding areas, u-ilrllife watering developments, wildlife
<br />ponds. and lieayer ponds.
<br />Table 3 rates the soils according to their suitability
<br />as habitat for the four kinds of wildlife in the surcec
<br />area-openhnvl. u'oodlnnrl, wetland. and raneelmul.
<br />Only openlunrl and ,vet/hurl are cnnsirlererl in fable 4.
<br />11t both tables the ratings under the heading "Binds
<br />of wildlife" are closets relater/ to those under "Ele-
<br />ments of u'ilrllife habitat." For example, soils rated as
<br />re, ll poor for shallop- water det-elopments are likewise
<br />rc,y poor for u'etlaurl u-ildlife.
<br />Opr•alanr! n'ilrllijr ;; re. birds wart mammals of crop-
<br />land, pasture, menrlmss, lawns. Hurl areas osergrown
<br />tcith grasses, herbs, sluvbs, wart sines. Examples ace
<br />the greater sandhill crane, pheasant, n'estern meadon'-
<br />lark, mourning dose, killdeer. cottontail, Jackrabbit,
<br />and yellow-bellied marmot.
<br />i
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<br />PI~XHIBIT H
<br />OP.,tDO 49
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