Date of Award

8-1-1975

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Geography & Geographic Information Science

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to classify and identify ecosystems in Bowman County, North Dakota. Procedures utilized in conducting this study were a review of pertinent Literature, cartographic analysis, air photo interpretation and field study.

The study has established a regional profile in terms of physical and cultural characteristics which has not previously been done for Bowman County, North Dakota.

Ecosystems were classified.using parameters previously established by the United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service. The parameters included general topography, soil types, degree of slope -■'tad' vegetative cover.

Eight terrestrial ecosystems were identified within Bowman County. The ecosystems were: River Bottom, Terrace, Toe Slope, Rolling Grassland, Upland Grassland, Upland Breaks, Hardwood Draw and Ponderosa Pine. The Rolling Grassland Ecosystem occupies the greatest acreage covering 59.4 percent of the study area. The Ponderosa Pine ecosystem was the smallest with 103 acres.

This study shows that each of the eight terrestrial ecosystems are under environmental stress from man'i activiti.es. Some activities such as coal development, increasing water needs, increasing agricultural pressures, oil development and weather modification were viewed as potential stress factors.

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