Laserfiche WebLink
2.04. 10 Vegetation Information <br />is located within the permit area near the mouth of the canyon. The area is rectangular <br />in shape and encompasses approximately four acres. <br />Total percent cover is nearly identical in the reference area (63.3 percent cover) <br />and the affected area (62.7 percent cover). Cover is dominated by shadscale and <br />cheatgrass in both reference and affected areas. See Tables 4.5-6 and 4.5-17. <br />Production is also highly comparable and averages 70.1 g/m2 in the reference <br />area or 625 pounds per acre compared to 656 pounds per acre in the affected area. <br />The dominant biomass producers in both communities are identical. See Tables 4.5-7 <br />and 4.5-18. <br />Shrub density is very similar in reference and affected areas with respect to <br />occurrence, total numbers per unit area, and relative abundance. Total shrub density of <br />the four species is the reference area averages 2,684 shrubs per acre compared to <br />2,987 shrubs per acre in the affected area. See Tables 4.5-9 and 4.5-20. <br />Species richness is slightly lower in the shadscale reference area (index = 8.50) <br />as fewer forbs were encountered. Equitability of cover was also slightly lower in the <br />reference area (index = 0.62). See Table 4.5-6. <br />JUNIPER WOODLAND REFERENCE AREA <br />The Juniper Woodland reference area is located in Section 27, T 7 S, R 102 N, <br />approximately two miles south of the permit area within the permit boundary of the <br />Munger Canyon Mine. The reference is on a steep, northwest facing slope which has a <br />Torriorthent rock outcrop complex. The reference area is square in shape and <br />incorporates approximately seven acres. <br />Cover is highly comparable in the reference and affected areas. See Tables 4.5- <br />10 and 4.5-21. Total vegetation cover in the Juniper Woodland reference area is 48.7 <br />percent compared to 45.3 percent in the affected areas. The major difference between <br />the two areas is the relatively higher cover of Salina wildrye in the reference area (25.3 <br />percent cover) compared to the affected area (6.3 percent). However, this species is the <br />dominant plant in the herbaceous stratum of each area. <br />Production in the reference area averages 52.0 g/m2 or 463 pounds per acre <br />compared to 345 pounds per acre in the affected area. The increased production of the <br />PR -02 2.04-67 10/12 <br />