Elk and deer studies related to the Basalt Waste Isolation Project
A study of elk (Cervus elaphus) and deer (Odocoileus hemionus) was conducted in the vicinity of planned site characterization activities for the Basalt Waste Isolation Project (BWIP). Both species are known to be sensitive to disturbance and are considered important species because they are recreationally and/or commercially valuable. The principal objectives of the study were to (1) estimate pre-activity (site characterization) recruitment of deer and elk, (2) characterize deer and elk use of limited habitats critical to their survival (e.g., riparian areas), (3) describe preferential habitat use by deer and elk during critical seasons (i.e., winter and summer), and (4) document pre-activity distributions of seasonal home range centers of deer and elk. Early termination of BWIP prevented some of the objectives from being fully addressed. Fifteen adult elk (11 females and 4 males) and 19 female deer equipped with radio transmitters were studied on the Arid Lands Ecology (ALE) Reserve from February through December 1987. More than 1800 relocations of the marked elk and deer were made during aerial and ground tracking sessions. Deer confined their activities to within 2 km of water sources. In contrast, elk used 6-12 times the average area used by deer. As with deer, female elk were closely associated with available water sources during the summer and fall, presumably because of the physiological demands of lactation. However, during the winter, female elk showed no preference for areas near water, as did male elk throughout the study. Riparian areas, which are scarce on the arid Hanford Site, are particularly valuable habitat to both elk and deer because they provide drinking water and succulent forage during the dry summer and early fall months.
- Research Organization:
- Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC06-76RL01830
- OSTI ID:
- 6432039
- Report Number(s):
- PNL-6798; ON: DE89009817
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Portions of this document are illegible in microfiche products
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Life in the Fast Lane: Road Crossing Behavior of Mule Deer in a Wildland-Urban Interface
Northwest Montana Wildlife Habitat Enhancement: Hungry Horse Elk Mitigation Project: Monitoring and Evaluation Plan.
Related Subjects
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
DEER
POPULATION DYNAMICS
HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
UNDERGROUND DISPOSAL
BASALT
EVALUATION
FOOD
HABITAT
RADIO EQUIPMENT
RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT
SEASONAL VARIATIONS
SITE CHARACTERIZATION
WASHINGTON
WATER
ANIMALS
ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
EQUIPMENT
FEDERAL REGION X
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
IGNEOUS ROCKS
MAMMALS
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS
NORTH AMERICA
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
ROCKS
RUMINANTS
USA
VARIATIONS
VERTEBRATES
VOLCANIC ROCKS
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTES
052002* - Nuclear Fuels- Waste Disposal & Storage
053000 - Nuclear Fuels- Environmental Aspects