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<br />comparabilit;Y is contained in Appendix 22-1 to Tab 22. This <br />appendix is contained in the revised. PAP pages accompanying <br />this response package. The demonstration approach follows <br />that approved for the Seneca II-W permit. Students t-tests <br />were run using the cover data for the three major upland types <br />(aspen, sagebrush, and mountain brush), and the two lowland <br />types (mesic drainage and improved pasture-subirrigated). In <br />all cases, the Null hypothesis, reference area cover is equal <br />to vegetation type cover, was accepted. An additional test <br />was made using Motyka and others' version of Sorensen's <br />Similarity Index. This evaluation was based on stratified <br />vegetation c~~ver by morphological class. In all cases except <br />the improved pasture-subirrigated type, similarity indexes <br />were equal t~~ or greater than .80. According to Chambers and <br />Brown (1983), a similarity index of .80 is indicative of a <br />high level of similarity between two areas. The similarity <br />index for the improved pasture-subirrigated was .63, <br />reflecting differences in morphological class cover due to <br />site induced plant composition variation. For this type, an <br />additional t~-test was run using produ~~tion data. This type is <br />comprised only of herbaceous spE:cies, making a valid <br />comparison feasible. The null hypothesis was accepted for <br />this type based on production means. <br /> <br />• <br />Production for the remaining types and density data were not <br />used in comparisons because of the highly variable nature of • <br />these two p~irameters. Herbaceous production was collected <br />during baseline, and its high variability was strongly <br />influenced by woody plant density and sometimes, woody plant <br />composition. <br />Literature Cited. <br />Chambers, J.. C. and R.W. Brown. 15)83. Measuring Species <br />Diversity on Revegetated Surface Mines: An Evaluation of <br />Techniques. USDA-USFS Research Paper INT-322. <br />78. SCC has increased the minimum number of shrub and tree <br />establishment sites in upland reclaimed areas to 15. These <br />~ sites now include two aspen, four mature shrub transplant <br />sites, and nine shrub seeding or planting sites. The number <br />of mesic drainage tree and shrub sites remain at seven. <br />Additionally, shrub seed is included in all permanent mixes <br />and the seeding rate for basin wildrye has been increased. <br />The minimum acreage for concentrated tree and shrub sites in <br />both upland and mesic drainage sites now totals 29 acres. <br />Review of revised Exhibit 22-1 (Sheet 2 of 2) shows the sites <br />are well distributed and are in a pattern designed to <br />establish travel corridors, improve spatial diversity, and <br />develop woody plant establishment zones in the interior of the <br />most extensive portion of the reclaimed areas. The proposed <br />density standard in these concentrated planting areas will <br />remain at 1000 stems per acre with the overall density at 250 <br />stems per acre. <br />• <br />20 <br />