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Species diversity in the reclaimed areas along the proposed haul road corridor will be <br />concentrated on the herbaceous component. The shrub component will rapidly reestablish <br />naturally from the surrounding undisturbed vegetation. The average density in the low <br />sagebrush type is 17,820 stems per acre. Add to this a maximum disturbance width of 100 to <br />200 feet and it becomes apparent that rapid shrub regeneration by invasion is highly likely. <br />In the low sagebrush type, baseline studies identified three grasses with relative cover greater <br />than three percent. No forbs with relative cover values of three percent or more were found. <br />Thus, a minimum of three grasses will be established and each will contribute relative cover <br />values of three percent or greater. Each species will not exceed 40 percent relative cover and <br />the total of the 3 species will not exceed 75 percent relative cover. In addition, two forbs and <br />one shrub will be established, but no relative cover values are specified. It is felt that a <br />herbaceous dominated reclaimed community within the shrub stands along the tie-across <br />corridor would diversify habitat while increasing grazing potential. <br />In the meadow vegetation type, four grasses contributed relative cover greater than three <br />percent in the baseline studies. No forbs contributed relative cover values of three percent or <br />more, and shrubs were not a notable component of the type. A minimum of four grasses each <br />will contribute relative cover values of three percent or greater in the reclaimed plant <br />communities. In addition, one forb will be established. Each species will not exceed 40 <br />percent relative cover and the total of the four species will not exceed 75 percent relative <br />cover. Species diversity will not be evaluated on the acres returned to cropland for obvious <br />reasons. <br />Species diversity in the II-W South Extension area will be assessed based on the evaluation of <br />the relative cover provided by each of three lifetorms and the species density present for each <br />of the same three lifeforms. A tabular expression of the standard is as follows: <br />Relative Cover (percent) <br />Lifeform <br />Native perennial grasses <br />Native annual and <br />perennial forbs <br />Shrubs/Trees <br />Minimum <br />20 <br />7 <br />0.5 <br />Maximum <br />95 <br />75 <br />75 <br />Species Density (spp./100 sq.ml <br />dinimum Maximum <br />5 <br />8 <br />1.5 <br />NA <br />NA <br />NA <br />Adherence to this standard will assure a representation of native species in post-reclamation <br />plant communities that establishes the potential of the community to persist through periods of <br />adversity because of the presence of adapted native species. <br />44 Revised 1/99 <br />