blackfoot-valley

role in producing it. Whether burning played a role in producing the grassy floors of intermountain valleys such as the Nevada Valley on and around the Ranch remains a question, but it certainly is a possibility. When men roam and migrate they carry food and seeds, and shoots are introduced into new areas as these drop or are left behind. Also, seeds encased in stickers that get attached to clothing and equipment are similarly spread. This happens whether or not the people involved practice agriculture. Changes in animal life occurred not only as a direct result of hunting certain species to extinction. The disappearance of a species necessarily af- fects other kinds of animals and plants as well, since the ecological niche for- merly occupied by a wiped-out animal begs to be filled by another. The food chain is also altered with repercussions on vegetation, as for example when the disappearance of a grazing species such as bison triggers a proliferation of grasses. (However, the bison / American buffalo was quickly replaced by cattle brought in by white settlers, which in turn brought its own changes.) 48 Alfred Schnelie untitled 1880