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During the course of fieldwork, a list of all plant species encountered (quantitative plus incidental <br />observations) was compiled for each potentially affected vegetation type and for the five reference areas. <br />These lists are tabulated in Appendix C, "Species Presence for All Areas." Note that all big sagebrush <br />plants encountered were referred to as Seriphidium tridentatum. Plants referred to here as Poa secunda <br />are the plants formerly known as big bluegrass (Poa ampla) a species commonly included in reclamation <br />seed mixes. The taxonomic treatment of Weber and Wittmann (1996) places Poa ampla (as well as Poa <br />sandbergii) with Poa secunda. Despite this merger, the distinctness of Poa ampla is worth noting. <br />Mountain bromegrass encountered during sampling is referred to as Ceratochloa polyantha in recognition <br />of its perennial habit compared to the Ceratochloa carinatus taxon included in Weber and Wittmann <br />(2001) as the appropriate name for Colorado plants. The latter taxon (C. carinatus) is an annual. Festuca <br />ovina (sheep fescue) was included in the reclaimed area seed mixes generally. The degree to which <br />sheep fescue differs morphologically from the native Festuca saximontana (Rocky Mountain fescue) is <br />very minimal. Here all occurrences in the reclaimed and reference areas have been called F. <br />saximontana. <br />Photographic Record <br />Within each area, representative color photographs were taken to document the appearance of the <br />vegetation in 2014 (Appendix E). Where appropriate, a placard identifies the particular area and sample. <br />Statistical Methods <br />Sampling was conducted at randomly located sites. Random sampling locations were generated using <br />ESRI ArcMap 9.3 software and Hawth's Analysis Tools for ArcGIS (Beyer 2004). Garmin GPS60 units <br />(accuracy to 3 m) and topographic maps were used in the field to locate random points. Cover and <br />woody plant transects were randomly oriented; production samples were located randomly behind the <br />transect origin. At each cover /woody plant density sampling location, the slope, expressed as a percent, <br />and aspect of the site, in degrees not corrected for magnetic declination, were determined and recorded, <br />as was the orientation of the transect. <br />Assessment of Reclamation Adequacy <br />GENERAL <br />Formal (statistical) hypothesis testing (see below) was undertaken for the Phase II Bond Release Block <br />(post -law, Permanent program lands). <br />4 <br />