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and introduced annual grasses followed with 11.3 and 8.1 percent cover, respectively. Native shrubs <br />were comprised predominantly of big sagebrush (11.1 percent), while introduced annual grasses were <br />comprised entirely of Japanese brome. Introduced perennial forbs contributed 2.3 percent to cover and <br />were comprised almost entirely of cicer milkvetch (Astragalus cicer, 1.5 percent). Native annual and <br />biennial forbs, native perennial forbs, and native perennial grasses contributed less than 1.0 percent to <br />cover each. Introduced annual and biennial forbs and bryophytes were also present. <br />Also observed in the area were the B-List noxious weeds bull thistle, whitetop, Canada thistle, and field <br />bindweed. <br />Total average all -hit vegetation cover was 43.4 percent. Allowable all -hit herbaceous cover was 27.41 <br />percent (Table B-1). Cover by standing dead, litter, bare soil and rock averaged 2.4, 48.9, 8.0, and 0.9 <br />percent, respectively (first hits). Average species density was 18.5 species per 100 m2. <br />2016 Aspen Extended Reference Area <br />(Photographs 78 through 97) <br />COVER <br />(Table A-4) <br />Cover data were collected at 20 samples in the Aspen ERA. Native perennial forbs were the predominant <br />lifeform observed in 2016, contributing 62.5 percent cover. Of which, Western sweetroot (Osmorhiza <br />occidentalis, 11.9 percent), violet (Viola sp., 7.0 percent), cow parsnip (Heracleum sphondylium ssp. <br />montanum, 6.3 percent), stinging nettle (Urtica gracilis ssp. gracilis, 5.5 percent), mountain bluebells <br />(Mertensia ciliata, 4.1 percent), and mountain meadow rue (Thalictrum fendleri, 3.4 percent) were the <br />greatest contributing species. Native shrubs also contributed heavily with 56.9 percent all -hit vegetation <br />cover, comprised primarily of Saskatoon serviceberry (Amelanchier alnifolia, 23.4 percent), chokecherry <br />(Padus virginiana ssp. melanocarpa, 14.1 percent), and mountain snowberry (Symphoricarpos <br />rotundifolius, 11.7 percent). Native trees comprised entirely of aspen (Populus tremuloides), and native <br />perennial cool season grasses followed with 30.8 and 6.9 percent cover, respectively. Blue wildrye <br />(Elymus glaucus) and Great Basin brome (Bromus polyanthus) were the largest contributing species to <br />native perennial cool season grasses with 3.6 and 1.2 percent all -hit vegetation cover, respectively. <br />Ferns (3.5 percent) were also present. Five other lifeforms, native annual and biennial forbs, introduced <br />annual and biennial forbs, introduced perennial forbs, introduced perennial cool season grasses, and <br />bryophytes, were also present, each with less than 1.5 percent all -hit vegetation cover. <br />The B-List noxious weeds hound's tongue (1.6 percent) and bull thistle were observed in the Aspen ERA. <br />13 <br />