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• <br />RULE 2 - PERMITS <br />S2 = Variance among affected area samples <br />S2ER= Variance among reference area samples <br />nA = Number of affected area samples <br />nER = Number of reference area samples <br />The above calculated t value is compared to a two -tailed t value at the 95 percent confidence level <br />(0.05 probability) with appropriate degrees of freedom, as presented in a standard t value table. If <br />the calculated value is less than or equal to the tabular t value, the "comparability" of the reference <br />and affected areas is deemed acceptable. <br />Herbaceous Production Sampling Procedures <br />Herbaceous production sampling was accomplished using one-half square meter (0.5 in ) circular <br />plots within which all herbaceous growth in a vertical projection was clipped and placed in labeled <br />paper bags. Clipped plants were grouped into the following life forms and bagged: <br />• Native Annual / Biennial Forbs <br />• Native Annual Grasses <br />• Native Perennial Forbs <br />• Native Perennial Grasses & Grasslikes <br />• Noxious Introduced Perennial Forbs <br />Introduced Annual / Biennial Forbs <br />Introduced Annual Grasses <br />Introduced Perennial Forbs <br />Introduced Perennial Graminoids <br />Noxious Introduced Annual/ Biennial <br />Forbs <br />Lichens, mosses, and woody plant species present in the sample plot were not collected. Clipped <br />material was returned to the ESCO laboratory and dried at 105 degrees Celsius (C) for 24 hours, <br />then weighed to the nearest 0.1 gram (gm). <br />The herbaceous production data were used to calculate livestock carrying capacity for the six <br />vegetation types that were sampled quantitatively as presented in Tables 2.04.10-T4 and 2.04.10- <br />T5. An animal unit month (aum) forage requirement for cattle of 900 pounds (lbs.) of air dry <br />matter, an oven -dry to air-dry weight conversion factor of 1. 11, and an overall proper use factor of <br />50 percent were used in this calculation. <br />Plant Species <br />During the completion of the 2008 baseline study fieldwork, a list of all plant species recorded <br />(quantitative) or observed (qualitative) was compiled for each delineated vegetation type, and for <br />the three reference areas. Two hundred and eighty-four (284) plant species were identified during <br />the fieldwork. This included four trees, 32 shrubs, 64 perennial grasses, five annual grasses, 120 <br />perennial forbs, 57 biennial or annual forbs, and two ferns (Table 22 and Table 24, Exhibit 2.04.10- <br />E1, Vegetation Information). <br />PSCM Permit App. 2.04-144 6/15/09 <br />