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<br />During 1979 and 1980 vegetation studies were conducted to <br />describe the two vegetation types in terms of cover, <br />productivity, and woody plant density. The vegetation studies do <br />not adequately describe the premining vegetation and additional <br />work will be required (see Chapter III of this TEA). Two <br />vegetation types (big sagebrush and alkali sagebrush) have been <br />identified in baseline studies. Approximately 335 acres (84%) of <br />the permit area is big sagebrush. Approximately 65 acres (16%) <br />is alkali sagebrush. A detailed description of the vegetation <br />types can be found in Appendix F of the permit application. <br />The big sagebrush vegetation type occurs extensively <br />throughout the Northern Desert Shrub Region. In the permit area, <br />graminoids comprise about 25%, forbs about 5%, shrubs and <br />half-shrubs about 30%, litter about 15%, and bareground and rock <br />about 25% of the total cover. Total average productivity for <br />this site is about 500 lbs/acre. Major associated species <br />(greater than 5% cover) include Letterman needlegrass, western <br />wheatgrass, and Douglas rabbitbrush. <br />The alkali sagebrush type is not as extensive as the big <br />sagebrush type. In the permit area, graminoids comprise about <br />15%, forbs about 2%, shrubs and half-shrubs about 15%, litter <br />about 10%, and bare ground and rock about 58% of the total <br />cover. Total average productivity of the site is about 300 <br />lbs/acre. Woody plant density is about 14,000 stems/acre. Major <br />associated species (greater than 5% cover) include Letterman <br />needlegrass and Douglas rabbitbrush. <br />The wildlife habitat provided by the proposed permit area is <br />largely sagebrush-mixed grass and supports a variety of mammals <br />and birds. Species diversity is reduced on the leasehold due to <br />the lack of aquatic environments. The potential and actual <br />occurrence of wildlife on the mine site is listed in Table 1G of <br />the permit application. <br />_p9_ <br />