COVERAGE TITLE: WILDLIFE COVERAGE CODE : 505 COVLIB STATUS: ENTERED SCALE : 1:250,000 CLASS. LENGTH: 16 S_FACTOR : 12 F_FACTOR : 5 8. COVERAGE - LAND CAPABILITY FOR WILDLIFE WATERFOWL PL/1 DECLARATION (COVLIB ENTRY) 2 C505R 3 CLASS_A CHAR (1), 3 MODIFIER_A CHAR (1), 3 PERCENT_A CHAR (1), 3 SUBCLASS_A CHAR (3), 3 CLASSS_B CHAR (1), 3 MODIFIER_B CHAR (1), 3 PERCENT_B CHAR (1), 3 SUBCLASS_B CHAR (2), 3 CLASS_C CHAR (1), 3 MODIFIER_C CHAR (1), 3 PERCENT_C CHAR (1), 3 SUBCLASS_C CHAR (2), 'R' = REGION, SEE SPECIAL NOTE3 NOTE: THIS COVERAGE HAS CAPABILITIES IN WATER. VALID CLASSES 1 LANDS HAVING NO SIGNIFICANT LIMITATIONS TO THE PRODUCTION OF WATERFOWL. 1S LANDS IN THIS SPECIAL CLASS ARE CLASS 1 AREAS THAT ALSO SERVE AS IMPORTANT MIGRATION STOPS FOR WATERFOWL. 2 LANDS HAVING VERY SLIGHT LIMITATIONS TO THE PRODUCTION OF WATERFOWL. 2S LANDS IN THIS SPECIAL CLASS ARE CLASS 2 AREAS THAT ALSO SERVE AS IMPORTANT MIGRATION STOPS FOR WATERFOWL. 3 LANDS HAVING SLIGHT LIMITATIONS TO THE PRODUCTION OF WATERFOWL. 3S LANDS IN THIS SPECIAL CLASS ARE CLASS 3 AREAS THAT ALSO SERVE AS IMPORTANT MIGRATION STOPS FOR WATERFOWL. 3M LANDS IN THIS SPECIAL CLASS MAY NOT BE USEFUL FOR WATERFOWL PRODUCTION BUT ARE IMPORTANT AS MIGRATION OR WINTERING AREAS. THIS CLASS HAS NO SUBCLASSES 4 LANDS HAVING MODERATE LIMITATIONS TO THE PRODUCTION OF WATERFOWL. 5 LANDS HAVING SEVERE LIMITATIONS TO THE PRODUCTION OF WATERFOWL. 6 LANDS HAVING SUCH SEVERE LIMITATIONS THAT ALSO NO WATERFOWL ARE PRODUCED. 8 SPECIAL CASES - SEE NOTE. VALID LIMITATION SUBCLASSES A - ARIDITY B - FREE-FLOWING WATER C - ADVERSE CLIMATE F - LOW FERTILITY G - POOR LANDFORM I - INUNDATION, EXCESSIVE WATER LEVEL FLUCTUATION J - REDUCED MASH EDGE M - EXCESSIVE OR DEFICIENT SOIL MOISTURE N - ADVERSE SOIL CHARACTERISTICS R - RESTRICTIVE SOIL DEPTH T - ADVERSE TOPOGRAPHY, EXCESSIVE STEEPNESS, FLATNESS Z - WATER DEPTH RESTRICTION NOTE: IN THE SPECIAL CASE WHERE CLASS_A IS CODED AS '8', THE FIRST CHARACTER OF SUBCLASS_A MAY CODED AS FOLLOWS: BLANK UNMAPPED AREA Z WATER AREA T FOREST PARKS O NATIONAL PARKS B URBAN AREAS W PROVINCIAL PARKS NARRATIVE IN GENERAL, THE NEEDS OF ALL WATERFOWL ARE MUCH ALIKE; EACH INDIVIDUAL AND SPECIES MUST BE PROVIDED WITH A SUFFICIENT QUALITY AND QUANTITY OF FOOD, PROTECTIVE COVER, AND SPACE TO MEET ITS NEEDS FOR SURVIVAL, GROWTH, AND REPRODUCTION. THE ABILITY OF THE LAND TO MEET THESE NEEDS IS DETERMINED BY THE INDIVIDUAL REQUIREMENTS OF THE SPECIES OR GROUP UNDER CONSIDERATION, THE PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE LAND, AND THOSE FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE THE PLANT AND ANIMAL COMMUNITIES. THE LAND IS DIVIDED INTO AREAS ON THE BASIS OF PHYSIOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS IMPORTANT TO WATERFOWL POPULATIONS. THE DEGREE OF LIMITATION ASSOCIATED WITH EACH AREA DETERMINES ITS CAPABILITY CLASS., THE SUBCLASS DENOTES THE PRIMARY FACTOR THAT CAUSES THE LIMITATION. THE CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM IS BASED ON TWO IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS: CAPABILITY RATINGS ARE ESTABLISHED ON THE BASIS OF THE OPTIMUM VEGETATIONAL STAGE (SUCCESSIONAL STAGE) THAT CAN BE MAINTAINED WHEN GOOD WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT IS PRACTICED. CAPABILITY RATINGS ASSIGNED DO NOT REFLECT PRESENT LAND USE (EXCEPT IN EXTREME CASES SUCH AS HEAVILY POPULATED URBAN AREAS), OWNERSHIP, LACK OF ACCESS, DISTANCE FROM CITIES, OR AMOUNT OF HUNTING PRESSURE. CLASS DESCRIPTIONS CLASS 1 LANDS IN THIS CLASS HAVE NO SIGNIFICANT LIMITATIONS TO THE PRODUCTION OF WATERFOWL. CAPABILITY ON THESE LANDS IS VERY HIGH. THEY PROVIDE A WIDE VARIETY AND ABUNDANCE OF IMPORTANT HABITAT ELEMENTS; ROLLING TOPOGRAPHY IS WELL SUITED TO THE FORMATION OF WETLANDS. PREDOMINANT WATER AREAS ON THESE LANDS ARE BOTH SHALLOW AND DEEP PERMANENT MARSHES, AND DEEP, OPEN WATER AREAS WITH WELL-DEVELOPED MARSH EDGES. CLASS 1S WATER AREAS IN THIS SPECIAL CLASS ARE CLASS 1 AREAS THAT ALSO SERVE AS IMPORTANT MIGRATION STOPS. CLASS 2 LANDS IN THIS CLASS HAVE VERY SLIGHT LIMITATIONS TO THE PRODUCTION OF WATERFOWL. CAPABILITY ON THESE LANDS IS HIGH BUT LESS THAN CLASS 1. SLIGHT LIMITATIONS ARE DUE TO CLIMATIC, FERTILITY, OR PERMEABILITY OF THE SOILS. TOPOGRAPHY TENDS TO BE MORE UNDULATING THAN ROLLING; A HIGHER PROPORTION OF THE WATER AREAS THAN IN CLASS 1 ARE SMALL TEMPORARY PONDS OR DEEP, OPEN WATER AREAS WITH POORLY DEVELOPED MARSH EDGES. CLASS 2S WATER AREAS IN THIS SPECIAL CLASS ARE CLASS 2 AREAS THAT ALSO SERVE AS IMPORTANT MIGRATION STOPS. CLASS 3 LANDS IN THIS CLASS HAVE SLIGHT LIMITATIONS TO THE PRODUCTION OF WATERFOWL. CAPABILITY ON THESE LANDS IS MODERATELY HIGH, BUT PRODUCTIVITY MAY BE REDUCED IN SOME YEARS BECAUSE OF OCCASIONAL DROUGHTS. SLIGHT LIMITATIONS ARE DUE TO CLIMATE OR TO CHARACTERISTICS OF THE LAND THAT AFFECT THE QUALITY AND QUANTITY OF HABITAT. THESE LANDS HAVE A HIGH PROPORTION OF BOTH TEMPORARY AND SEMI-PERMANENT SHALLOW MARSHES POORLY INTERSPERSED WITH DEEP MARSHES AND BODIES OF OPEN WATER. CLASS 3S WATER AREAS IN THIS SPECIAL CLASS ARE CLASS 3 AREAS THAT ALSO SERVE AS IMPORTANT MIGRATION STOPS. CLASS 3M LANDS IN THIS SPECIAL CLASS MAY NOT BE USEFUL FOR WATERFOWL PRODUCTION, BUT ARE IMPORTANT AS MIGRATION OR WINTERING AREAS. THIS CLASS HAS NO SUBCLASSES. CLASS 4 LANDS IN THIS CLASS HAVE MODERATE LIMITATIONS TO THE PRODUCTION OF WATERFOWL. CAPABILITY ON THESE LANDS IS MODERATE. LIMITATIONS ARE SIMILAR TO THOSE IN CLASS 3, BUT THE DEGREE IS GREATER. WATER AREAS ARE PREDOMINANTLY TEMPORARY PONDS, OR DEEP, OPEN WATERS WITH POORLY DEVELOPED MARSH EDGES, OR BOTH. CLASS 5 LANDS IN THIS CLASS HAVE MODERATELY SEVERE LIMITATIONS TO THE PRODUCTION OF WATERFOWL. CAPABILITY ON THESE LANDS IS MODERATELY LOW. LIMITATIONS ARE USUALLY A COMBINATION OF TWO OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING FACTORS: CLIMATE, SOIL MOISTURE, PERMEABILITY, FERTILITY TOPOGRAPHY, SALINITY, FLOODING, AND POOR INTERSPERSION OF WATER AREAS. CLASS 6 LANDS IN THIS CLASS HAVE SEVERE LIMITATIONS TO THE PRODUCTION OF WATERFOWL. CAPABILITY ON THESE LANDS IS VERY LOW. LIMITATIONS ARE EASILY IDENTIFIED. THEY MAY INCLUDE ARIDITY, SALINITY, VERY FLAT TOPOGRAPHY, STEEP-SIDED LAKES, EXTREMELY POROUS SOILS, AND SOILS CONTAINING FEW AVAILABLE MINERALS. CLASS 7 LANDS IN THIS CLASS HAVE LIMITATIONS SO SEVERE THAT ALMOST NO WATERFOWL ARE PRODUCED. CAPABILITY ON THESE LANDS IS NEGLIGIBLE OR NON-EXISTENT. LIMITATIONS ARE SO SEVERE THAT WATERFOWL PRODUCTION IS PRECLUDED OR NEARLY PRECLUDED. SUBCLASS DESCRIPTIONS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF CLASS 1, AND SPECIAL CLASS 3M, THE CLASSES ARE DIVIDED INTO SUBCLASSES ACCORDING TO THE NATURE OF THE LIMITATIONS THAT DETERMINE THE CLASS. THE FOLLOWING SUBCLASSES ARE USED TO DENOTE SIGNIFICANT LIMITING FACTORS THAT MAY AFFECT EITHER THE WATERFOWL OR THE ABILITY OF THE LAND TO PRODUCE SUITABLE HABITAT CONDITIONS. 'A' ARIDITY - THE LIMITATION IS AN ARID CONDITION OF THE LAND OR THE SUSCEPTIBILITY OF THE LAND TO PERIODIC DROUGHTS, WHICH RESULT IN LOW POND WATER LEVELS OR PREMATURE DRYING OF MARSHES IN THE BREEDING SEASON. 'B' FREE-FLOWING WATER - THE LIMITATION IS USUALLY DUE TO FAST OR EXCESS WATER FLOW, WHICH INHIBITS DEVELOPMENT OF MARSH HABITAT ALONG THE STREAM EDGE. IT MAY ALSO BE DUE TO A LACK OF FLOW THROUGH LOW-LYING LAND, WHICH RESULTS IN HABITAT OF POOR QUALITY. 'C' CLIMATE - A COMBINATION OF ADVERSE CLIMATIC FACTORES MAY ACT TO REDUCE FAVOURABLE HABITAT AND THE PRODUCTION AND SURVIVAL OF WATERFOWL. 'F' FERTILITY - THE LIMITATION IS INSUFFICIENT NUTRIENTS IN THE SOIL AND ATER FOR OPTIMUM PLANT GROWTH. 'G' LANDFORM - POOR DISTRIBUTION OR INTERSPERSION OF MARSHES OR BASINS MAY BE A LIMITING FACTOR OF THE LAND AND MAY PREVENT THE DEVELOPMENT OF OPTIMUM WATERFOWL HABITAT. 'I' INUNDATION - THE LIMITING FACTOR IS EXCESSIVE WATER LEVEL FLUCTURATION OR TIDAL ACTION, WHICH ADVERSELY AFFECTS THE HABITAT OR THE NESTING SUCCESS OF WATERFOWL. 'J' REDUCED MARSH EDGE - THE LIMITATIONS ARE TOPOGRAPHIC FEATURES THAT ADVERSELY AFFECT DEVELOPMENT OF OPTIMUM MARSH CONDITIONS ALONG THE DEGE OF WATER ARES. 'M' SOIL MOISTURE - POOR WATER-HOLDING CAPACITY OF SOILS, WHICH ADVERSELY AFFECTS THE FORMATION AND PERMANENCY OF WATER AREAS. 'N' ADVERSE SOIL AND WATER CHARACTERISTICS - EXCESSIVE SALINITY, ALKALINITY, ACIDITY, LACK OF ESSENTIAL TRACE ELEMENTS, OR ABUNDANCE OF TOXIC ELEMENTS MAY LIMIT THE DEVELOPMENT OF PLANT AND ANIMAL COMMUNITIES ESSENTIAL FOR WATERFOWL PRODUCTION. 'R' SOIL DEPTH - RESTRICTION OF THE ROOTING ZONE BY BEDROCK OR OTHER IMPERVIOUS LAYERS MAY LIMIT DEVELOPMENT OF SUITABLE PLANT COMMUNITIES. 'T' ADVERSE TOPOGRAPHY - EITHER STEEPNESS OR FLATNESS OF THE LAND MAY LIMIT THE DEVELOPMENT OR PERMANENCY OF WETLANDS. 'Z' WATER DEPTH - EXCESSIVELY DEEP OR SHALLOW WATERS LIMIT THE DEVELOPMENT OF OPTIMUM WATERFOWL HABITAT. EXAMPLES AN AREA OF CLASS 5 LAND WITH TOPOGRAPHY AND WATER DEPTH LIMITATIONS TO WATERFOWL PRODUCTION: 5**TZ A WATERFOWL PRODUCTION AREA OF WHICH 70% IS CLASS 4 WITH LIMITATIONS DUE TO POOR WATER HOLDING CAPACITY OF THE SOILS AND INTERSPERSION OF MARSHES: 4*7MF*3*3FG AN IMPORTANT WATERFOWL PRODUCTION AREA OF WHICH 60% IS CLASS 1 AND 40% IS CLASS 2 WITH A SLIGHT LIMITATION DU TO INTERSPERSION OF WETLAND TYPES: 1*6***2*4G AN IMPORTANT MIGRATION STOP WITH LITTLE OR NO WATERFOWL PRODUCTION: 3M FOR FURTHER INFORMATION SEE 'THE CANADA LAND INVENTORY LAND CAPABILITY CLASSIFICATION FOR WILDLIFE', REPORT NO. 7, 1970.