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(Poa pratensis), Baltic rush (Juncos balticus), cliff sedge (Carex scopulorum), western yarrow (Achille <br />•millifolium), Canada thistle (cirsiunt arvense), and silver sedge (Carex praegracilis) accounting for 40.00 %, <br />8.23 %, 6.4 3 %, 3.83 %, 3.20 %, 2.64% of the ground cover, and 70.36 g/m2, 47.59 g /m2, 15.00 g/1112, 3.74 ;/1112, <br />9.50 g /1112, and 12.36 g /1112 of the production, respectively. <br />Total shrub stratum variables averaged 18.04% ground cover, 59.44 g/1112 (530 Ibs /acre) production, and a density <br />of 9,305.9 shrub stems per acre. Herbaceous stratum variables averaged 61.72% ground cover by grasses and <br />14.94% ground cover by forbs, 150.36 g /m2 (1,341 Ibs /acre) production by grasses and 37.89 g /1112 (338 Ibs /acre) <br />production by forbs. The sagebrush /meadow vegetation type's overall variables are 94.70% vegetative cover, <br />247.68 g /1112 (2,210 Ibs /acre) production, and 9,305.9 shrubs per acre for woody plant density. The diversity index <br />as calculated by Shannon et al. (1973) for the entire community gives a value of 0.9533. <br />Sagebrush /meadow vegetation type variables as presented above were determined from statistically adequate <br />sampling. Sample parameters for each variable, and the minimum sample size required for an adequate sample are <br />presented in Table 27, Summary of Statistical Information. <br />Table 31, Sagebrush /Meadow Reference Area Vegetation Type, presents the data obtained front adequate <br />sampling lot- the variables of ground cover, current annual productivity, and density from the Sagebrush /Meadow <br />reference area. This area is found on Map 18, Premining Vegetation. This area is owned by an affiliate and the <br />applicant will have access to maintain it as a reference area. Performance of statistical t -tests for these three <br />variables between the pre - disturbance area and the reference area show it to be the same as the pre - disturbance <br />vegetation type. the two- tailed t -test at the a = 0.05 level gave t values of 1.600 for cover, 0.460 for production, <br />and 0.393 for woody plant density. <br />•Based on the data obtained in this study, the carrying capacity of the sagebrush /meadow vegetation type within <br />the proposed pennit area is 1.2 acres /AUM. This was calculated from usable herbaceous species at 50% utilization <br />and shrubs at 5% utilization and at 1,000 Ibs of forage per AUM. <br />Reclaimed Pasture <br />The area indicated on Map 18, Premining Vegetation, as Reclaimed Pasture is the result of the revegetation efforts <br />of CYCC following surface mining. Approximately 1,428 acres of the pasture vegetation type within the proposed <br />permit area have been disturbed by mining and reclaimed. 390 acres have been released from bond. Various <br />portions of this reclaimed pasture area in the vicinity of the 40 acre sampling area (see Map 18, Premining <br />Vegetation) were seeded in 1976 and 1980 with three mixtures. The seed mixtures were as follows: <br />1976 Mixture (N6) <br />Amur Intermediate Wheatgrass <br />Lincoln Smooth Brome <br />Barton Western Wheatgrass <br />Nordan Crested Wheatgrass <br />Oats <br />Alfalfa <br />1976 Mixture (# 1) <br />Anwr Intermediate Wheatgrass <br />Lincoln Smooth Brome <br />Barton Western Wheatgrass <br />• <br />Nordan Crested Wheatgrass <br />Durar Hard Fescue <br />Kentucky Bluegrass <br />Application Rate (Ibs /acre) <br />6.0 <br />4.0 <br />3.0 <br />2.0 <br />25.0 <br />0.5 <br />6.0 <br />5.0 <br />3.0 <br />2.0 <br />1.0 <br />1.0 <br />MR 97 -154 2.04 -56 Revised 10/02/97 <br />