2015-10-13_REVISION - C1981014 (18)

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plant cover transects were collected to satisfy the CDRMS regulations which require that a sufficient number of samples must be taken to characterize the parameter of plant cover at the 90% statistical confidence interval. When IME sampled this reference area in 1997, the total canopy cover averaged 40.00%. When IME sampled this reference area in 1987, the total canopy cover averaged 41.00%. When sampled in 1980 by Keenan, Inc., basal cover averaged 19.1 %. Forage Production. The results obtained from the sampling of the 30 forage production transects on the Refuse Pile Reference Area are presented in Table 4, Refuse Pile Reference Area - 2013 Production. Total herbaceous forage production, consisting of perennial grasses and forbs, averaged 9.93 g/1/4m2 or 353.9 pounds per acre. Perennial grasses contributed 9.66 g/1/4m2 (344.3 pounds per acre) or 97.3% and perennial forb plant species contributed 0.27 g/1/4 m2 (9.6 pounds per acre) or 2.7% of the total herbaceous forage production. The locations of the 30 forage production transects are shown on Map 2, Refuse Pile reference Area - 2013 Transect Location Map. Examination of Table 2, 2013 Statistical Summary and Sample Adequacy Calculations, reveals that sample adequacy at the 90% confidence interval for forage production was equal to 45.7 transects. When IME sampled this reference area in 1987, forage production averaged 12.16 g/m2 or 108.3 pounds per acre and warm season grasses accounted for 16.41 % of the total forage production. Species Diversity. The four most dominant plant species, contributed 25.47% of the total plant cover or 87.83% of the total relative plant cover. The warm season grass species contributed 21.27% of the total plant cover or 73.34% of the total relative cover. The two most dominant warm season plant species contributed 21.00% of the total plant cover or 72.41% of the total relative plant cover. When IME sampled this reference area in 1997, the two dominant warm season species in 1997 contributed 20.2% of the total plant cover or 50.50% of the total relative cover. The four most dominant plant species contributed 35.0% of the total plant cover or 87.5% of the total relative basal cover. When IME sampled this reference area in 1987, the two most dominant warm season species contributed a total 12.16 g/m2 or 108.3 pounds per acre and accounted for 23.53% of the forage production. When IME sampled this reference area in 1997, the two dominant warm season species contributed 52.58% of the forage production. When IME sampled this reference area in 1987, the two dominant warm season species contributed 19.80% of the total plant cover or 48.29% of the total relative cover. The four most dominant plant species contributed 28.4 percent of the total plant cover or 69.27% of the total relative cover. When this site was originally sampled in 1980, Keenan, Inc. reported that all warm season grass species contributed 11.08% of the total basal cover or 58.01% of the total relative basal cover. The two most dominant warm season plant species contributed 10.43% of the total basal cover or 54.61 % of the total relative basal cover. The four most dominant plant species contributed 12.63% of the total basal cover or 66.13% of the total relative basal cover. Shrub Density. The results obtained from the sampling of the 50 shrub density transects are found in Table 5, Refuse Pile Reference Area - 2013 Shrub Density. This table shows that the woody plant density averaged 1.80 woody plants per 100 m2 or 72.8 woody plants per acre.