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• <br />■ ., <br />ERO Resources <br />Open Utah juniper woodlands occupy ridge crests, rocky knolls and portions <br />of the broad uplands on the permit area at higher elevations (>1,500m). <br />The major feature determining the distribution of the woodlands is the <br />corresponding occurrence of shallow to moderately shallow, coarse -loamy to <br />rocky soils (Table 4). The predominance of Utah juniper in lieu of a <br />mixed woodland that also supports Rocky Mountain juniper and pinyon pine <br />can be attributed to environmental factors that favor Utah juniper. Soil <br />textures are more coarse than those that favor pinyon pine proliferation <br />and the soil moisture regimes may be too droughty for pinyon (Tueller and <br />Clark 1975). Rocky Mountain juniper is more common on rocky soils with <br />high calcium carbonate concentrations. A principal reason for the <br />predominance of Utah juniper in the extensive woodlands is that this <br />species once occurred in small patches on relatively rocky knolls and has <br />spread significantly due to surface disturbances that lowered competition <br />• with perennial grasses and shrubs. This type occupies 1.5 acres of the <br />total affected area (Table 5). <br />The juniper woodlands are sparse and open. Mean ground cover values for <br />the affected area sampled along the Haul Road are bryophytes - (lx, litter <br />- 39%, rock - <lx, soil - 57% and woody species - <lx (Table 6). The <br />corresponding reference site for the juniper woodlands is the <br />Sagebrush-Wheatgrass reference area. Ground cover values in this <br />reference area are bryophytes - 1%, litter - 30%, rock - 2%, soil - 57% <br />and woody species - 17%. Figure 4 graphically summarizes these values. <br />The herbaceous layer of the juniper woodlands is poorly developed. The <br />most important grass species present are cheatgrass, Indian ricegrass, <br />squirreltail grass, needle -and -thread grass and western wheatgrass. <br />Important forbs include baby blue eyes (Oollinsia narviflora), fleabane <br />II.F-25 <br />