Monitoring indicators of ecosystem integrity on the Ann and Sandy Cross Conservation Area (Alberta)

The purpose of this Masters Degree Project was to design and implement an ecological monitoring system that provides information which may be used to make informed management decisions regarding the maintenance and restoration of native wildlife habitat integrity and diversity on the Ann and Sandy Cross Conservation Area. The Guiding Principles of the Conservation Area provide direction towards a holistic approach to management of wildlife and habitat. This holistic approach can be most succinctly described as an ecosystem management approach towards the goal of protecting native ecosystem integrity.; A habitat monitoring system was designed to evaluate the status of ecological indicators at two scales. The ecosite scale evaluates ecological integrity on the Conservation Area as a whole unit. The ecoelement scale evaluates ecological integrity for individual habitat vegetation units within the Conservation Area. Indicators were chosen to represent the composition, structure, and function of the native aspen parkland ecosystem at both scales. Baseline indicator measurements were collected in the field. A database management system was designed to facilitate the storage, retrieval and analysis of indicator data. This management system utilized GIS and relational database computer software.; Design of an ecological monitoring system provides a tool that the Conservation Area can use to evaluate changes in key ecosystem components over time, and to guide management decisions. Key recommendations made by this project focus on management and modification of grazing practices on the Conservation Area that align the impacts of grazing with native ecosystem processes.