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Chapter 2. Biological Resources This chapter discusses the plant communities and wildlife at the Brown property in eastern San Joaquin County. Jones & Stokes Associates biologists conducted field surveys for biological resources and special-status species on August 30, 1990, and September 6, 1990. Two biologists walked the riparian corridor, annual grasslands,and most of the oak woodlands. The DFG's Natural Diversity Data Base (NDDB) was reviewed to determine previous records of special-status plant and wildlife in the project area. DFG and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) personnel were consulted regarding potential project resources and impacts. Jones & Stokes Associates biologists also reviewed pertinent literature and contacted local landowners, Audubon Society members, and Mokelumne River Fish — Hatchery personnel. Several special-status species,such as the bald eagle,Swainson's hawk,burrowing owl, and Delta button celery have potential to occur at the site but could not be adequately surveyed for because they could not be reliably detected during the survey period. For these species, Jones & Stokes Associates evaluated their potential for occurrence based on conversation with species experts and on the habitat types at the site. The DFG recommends that plant and wildlife species not present during field surveys because of their seasonal occurrence must be presumed to occur on the site if suitable habitat exists, or that surveys be completed during a period of the year when the species are likely to be present (Messersmith pers. comm.). The project area supports a variety of habitat types, including upland and wetland communities. Each of the habitat types on the project site, and the transitory edges between them, support a variety of amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals. Certain species are associated with one habitat type, while more generalist species may be found in any of the habitat types in the project area. Appendices A and B list plant and wildlife species observed at the project site during field surveys. The following section describes the plants and general wildlife species typical of each habitat type onsite. This is followed with a discussion of each special-status species known to occur or having potential to occur at the site (Tables 1 and 2). Habitat types and acreages are shown in Figure 3. w r - 5