Wildlife food habits and habitat use on revegetated strip mine land in Alaska

Thesis/Dissertation · Sun Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1984

OSTI ID:5671360

Elliott, C L

Food habits and habitat utilization of wildlife species on revegetated strip mine spoils in interior Alaska were studied from 1980 through 1982. Current reclamation techniques were beneficial for tundra voles, short-eared owls and marsh hawks. Caribou, Dall sheep, red fox, coyote, wolf, arctic ground squirrel, waterfoul, and various raptorial birds derived partial benefit from the reclaimed areas. The seeded grasses functioned as minor items in the diets of herbivores while reclaimed sites served as hunting areas for the various carnivores and raptors. Moose, showshoe hare, red-backed voles, willow ptarmigan and most nongame birds were adversely impacted by the reclaimed areas. Woody vegetation and its associated attributes such as cover and food were the essential habitat component missing from the reclaimed areas. Strip mining and reclamation procedures currently practiced in interior Alaska result in grassland interspersed throughout the natural habitat. The availability of undisturbed habitat adjacent to small sized, seeded areas, has made it possible for wildlife to take advantage of the reclaimed sites and still have sufficient amount of natural food and cover available with which to meet the nutritional and habitat needs of the animal. The detrimental effects of current reclamation procedures increase as the amounts of land disturbed by mining become very large.

• Research Organization: Alaska Univ., Fairbanks (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5671360
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
010900* -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Environmental Aspects
510500 -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Site Resource & Use Studies-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ALASKA
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
COAL
ENERGY SOURCES
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
FEDERAL REGION X
FOOD
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
HABITAT
LAND RECLAMATION
MATERIALS
MINING
NORTH AMERICA
REVEGETATION
SURFACE MINING
USA
WILD ANIMALS