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was situated parallel to, and approximately 4.5 to 5.0 feet vertically above the ground surface. A set of <br />10 readings was taken specifically to record hits on vegetation (by species), litter, (including standing <br />dead), rock (>2mm), or bare soil. Hits were determined at each meter interval by activating a battery of <br />10 low-energy specialized lasers** situated along the bar at 10 centimeter intervals and recording the <br />variable intercepted by each of the narrowly focused (0.02 beams (Figure 1). In this manner, a total of <br />100 intercepts per transect were recorded resulting in 1 percent cover per intercept. This methodology <br />and instrumentation facilitates the collection of the most unbiased, repeatable, and precise ground cover <br />data possible. To facilitate diversity calculations, second hits were recorded when an overstory shrub <br />stratum was present. However, these second hits were not included in the determination of ground <br />cover. <br />Ground cover transects were implemented at every sample point in the Phase III area, whereas <br />ground transects were not implemented on every third sample point in the reference areas for both 2013 <br />and 2014 evaluation efforts. Every third sample point was evaluated for production only. <br />2.3 Determination of Woody Plant Density <br />A total of 75 belt transects were sampled for the Phase III bond release shrub patches in 2013 and <br />2014. At each sample site in the Phase III shrub patches, a 2 -meter wide by 50 -meter long belt transect <br />was located in the direction of the next sampling point (in a cardinal direction — see Figure 1). Then <br />within each belt, all woody plants (shrubs, trees, and succulents) were enumerated by species. <br />Determination of whether or not a plant could be counted was dependent upon the location of its main <br />stem or root collar where it exited the ground surface with regard to belt limits. A minimum number of <br />belts allowed (75) was used to quantify density in the shrub patches per Rule 4.15.11(3)(b)(i), which <br />allows for a direct comparison to the technical standard. <br />2.4 Determination of Current Annual Production <br />At each sample site, current annual production was collected from a 1/2 mZ quadrat frame placed <br />one meter and 900 to the right (clockwise) of the ground cover transect to facilitate avoidance of <br />vegetation trampled by investigators during sample site location (Figure 1). From within each quadrat, all <br />above ground current annual vegetation within the vertical boundaries of the frame were clipped and <br />bagged separately by life form as follows: <br />** Lasers utilized for this instrument are state-of-the-art and of specialized design to emit a unique electro -magnetic <br />wavelength visible under full sunlight, a condition previously not possible with portable low-energy lasers. <br />Furthermore, these lasers have been 'W'm- Y" adjusted to provide parallel beams exhibiting a 10 cm spread and can <br />be focused (collimated) to an extremely fine dot thereby facilitating substantially increased precision over other field <br />laser procedures. <br />July 2015 Page 12 <br />