Wildlife distribution and abundance on the Utah oil shale tracts 1975-1984

Journal Article · Tue Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1986 · Great Basin Nat.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6913072

Grant, C V

Distribution and abundance of 215 amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals were monitored for 10 years on Utah's Oil Shale Tracts using line transects, mist netting, and live trapping. Wildlife monitoring was conducted in four major vegetation types and during all seasons to establish a quantitative baseline for use in impact identification during oil shale mining. Habitat preferences were established for many species in cold desert vegetation of two types of desert shrub, and juniper and riparian woodlands. Seasonal, annual, and habitat distribution of each class demonstrated a variety of adaptive responses to environmental variables. The most important environmental variables, that is, those factors resulting in a predictable change in wildlife populations, were, in descending order: weather, food resource, shelter, and competition. 31 references, 14 figures, 10 tables.

• Research Organization: White River Shale Oil Corp., Utah
• OSTI ID: 6913072
• Journal Information: Great Basin Nat.; (United States), Vol. 46:3
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

04 OIL SHALES AND TAR SANDS
AMPHIBIANS
ABUNDANCE
DISTRIBUTION
BIRDS
MAMMALS
OIL SHALE MINING
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
REPTILES
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
SEASONAL VARIATIONS
UTAH
WILD ANIMALS
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
DATA
FEDERAL REGION VIII
INFORMATION
MINING
NORTH AMERICA
NUMERICAL DATA
USA
VARIATIONS
VERTEBRATES
041000* - Oil Shales & Tar Sands- Environmental Aspects