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relatively small size of the reference area, transects were oriented in the same compass <br />direction so that no overlap of transects occurred. <br />For statistical purposes, each cover transect (comprising 50 data points) served as a <br />sample unit. Data points recorded the first vertical "hit" on vegetation (above or below <br />the instrument), soil (bare ground), rock, litter, or cryptogamic crust. Subsequent "hits" <br />on vegetation (prior to interception of the ground) were also recorded. Cover data were <br />recorded and reported by individual plant species. The first interception was used to <br />calculate total vegetation cover values. Additional interceptions were used to calculate <br />relative cover of individual plant species and lifeforms. The quantitative cover data also <br />provided the basis for calculation of species composition and relative importance. <br />Total Herbaceous Production <br />Total herbaceous production was estimated by the harvest method. One herbaceous <br />production plot was located and randomly oriented at the origin of each cover transect. <br />Herbaceous production plots were 0.50 meter2 in area. All current year above ground <br />live herbaceous plant biomass was clipped within the 0.50 meter2 quadrat. Production <br />material was air dried until weights varied by no more than 0.1 g. <br />Species Composition <br />Species composition information was derived from quantitative vegetation cover data. <br />Relative cover information provided a basis for evaluation of the importance of each <br />encountered plant species and lifeform and for comparison to the final revegetation <br />success criterion. Tables 2-5 present data summaries for vegetation cover for areas <br />sampled in 2015 and 2016 and also contain the relative cover by species and a column <br />depicting the numerical ranking of each species by relative cover within the area as well <br />as the total additional "hits" for each plant species in the cover sampling. <br />SAMPLE NUMBERS/SAMPLE ADEQUACY <br />For the purposes of this study, total vegetation cover and total herbaceous production <br />sampling were undertaken to sample adequacy. A minimum of fifteen (15) samples was <br />specified for each parameter sampled. Parameter testing for sample adequacy occurred at <br />the one-sided 90% confidence level. Comparisons between sample mean parameter <br />values for reclaimed and reference areas assume that the sample mean value accurately <br />represents the population mean in all cases. The following formula was used for sample <br />adequacy calculations: <br />nmin = <br />(t)2 (s)2 <br />(d Xbar)2 <br />where: nmin = minimum sample size <br />s = sample standard deviation <br />t = the Student's t distribution value at the 90% level (one-sided) <br />d = percent acceptable deviation from the mean (10%) <br />Xbar = sample mean <br />Carbon Junction Mine Phase III Bond Release Application June 2016 Page 5 <br />