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Summary

Subject Areas The top five indicators based on cost-effectiveness and strength of relationship (R2) with health criteria are:

  • percent exposed mineral soil

  • percent litter cover

  • percent Sandberg’s bluegrass cover

  • percent Junegrass cover

  • percent rough fescue cover

Two of these five indicators (percent litter cover and percent Sandberg’s bluegrass cover) showed redundant function with percent exposed mineral soil suggesting that they do not contribute unique information to an assessment of health.

Percent rough fescue cover is an essential indicator of the presence of functioning recovery mechanisms. There were no substitute indicators found that can be used to assess this particular health category. Percent exposed mineral soil is a sensitive indicator of the degree of soil stability and watershed function, as well as an indicator of the integrity of nutrient cycles and energy flows in rough fescue grasslands. Percent Junegrass cover is not as sensitive an indicator as percent exposed mineral soil, but has general overall strength with many health measures.

Sampling rough fescue grassland 2

Last Modified: 2008 April 29. Ministry contact: Reg Newman.
Webmaster: For.Prodres@gov.bc.ca
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