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RULE 2 - PERMITS <br />• Sagebrush Grassland (SG) - Cover in this vegetation type is dominated by native shrubs. The <br />• two major species are big sagebrush and mountain snowberry, with occasional important <br />inclusions of silver sagebrush (Artemisia cana). Saskatoon serviceberry and Douglas <br />rabbitbrush (Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus) are commonly encountered but account for little <br />cover. <br />Native perennial cool season grasses are the second most abundant lifeform. The largest <br />contributions to this total are from Agassiz bluegrass, needle -and -thread (Hesperostipa comata) <br />and Nelson needlegrass. Slender wheatgrass, western wheatgrass and sun sedge (Carex <br />pensylvanica ssp. heliophila) contribute to the vegetation cover. <br />Native perennial forbs are primarily western yarrow, tailcup lupine, and silver lupine (Lupinus <br />argenteus). Other common species were pasture sage (Artemisia ludoviciana) and Pacific aster. <br />Native annual and biennial forbs accounted for 1.3 percent of the total vegetation cover in the <br />ESCO study area. Introduced annual forbs account for 1.7 percent of the total vegetation cover <br />in the ESCO study area, the majority of which is attributable to the noxious weed houndstongue <br />(Cynoglossum officinale). <br />Within the general PSCM permit area, herbaceous biomass production averaged 979.6 lbs oven - <br />dry weight per acre (Table 4 in Exhibit 2.04.10-E1, Vegetation Information). The livestock <br />carrying capacity was calculated at 0.599 animal unit month (aum) per acre. <br />• Mountain Brush (MB) - Dominant shrub species in this vegetation cover type include <br />Saskatoon serviceberry (Amelanchier alnifolia), chokecherry (Padus virginiana var. <br />• melanocarpa), mountain snowberry (Symphoricarpos rotundifolius) and Gambel's oak <br />(Quercus gambehi), a species with relatively little shade tolerance. Other shrub species <br />commonly occurring include Oregon grape (Mahonia repens), Wood's rose (Rosa woodsii), and <br />big sagebrush. Quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) occurs very sparsely in the unit. <br />Next to native shrubs, the most abundant lifeforms are native perennial forbs. The largest <br />contributors to the total vegetation cover in the native perennial forb lifeform were American <br />vetch (Vicia americana), tailcup lupine (Lupinus caudatus), and little sunflower (Helianthella <br />quinquenervis). The most commonly occurring native annual (and biennial) forbs were <br />linearleaf collomia (Collomia linearis) and baby blue -eyes (Collinsia parviflora). These plants <br />occur on the very widespread soil castings resulting from the burrowing of northern pocket <br />gophers which find the friable organic rich soils of the mountain brush (as well as the <br />sagebrush) areas to be very suitable. <br />The most abundant grasses were elk sedge (Carex geyeri), and bluegrasses including fowl <br />bluegrass (Poa palustris), Aggasiz bluegrass, and big bluegrass (Poa ampla). Other common <br />species present included bluebunch wheatgrass (Pseudoroegneria spicata ssp. spicata), Nelson <br />needlegrass (Acnatherum nelsonii), oniongrass (Bromelica bulbosa), mountain bromegrass <br />(Ceratochloa polyantha), and slender wheatgrass. Introduced perennial cool season grasses <br />were very sparse. The most frequently present species was smooth brome which occurred in <br />about 40 percent of sampled stands within the ESCO study area. <br />• Within the general PSCM permit area, Species density averaged 36.1 species per 100 square <br />meters while herbaceous biomass production averaged 740.5 lbs. oven -dry weight per acre <br />PSCM Permit App. 2.04-134 6/15/09 <br />