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r~ <br />2.5 Time of Sampling <br />All sampling was conducted from August 16th to September <br />9, 1980. <br />2.6 Cover Estimation <br />Basal vegetation cover was sampled using a Line Intercept <br />Method (Canfield, 1941). Length of the line used was 210 cm. <br />A short, randomly placed line was used as suggested by Bonham, <br />Larson and Morrison (unpublished). Basal cover was measured <br />instead of ground cover because the grazing cattle had signifi- <br />cantly altered vegetation growth. The number of samples taken <br />was a function of the size of the reference area and the <br />homogeneity of species composition. <br />The length of the area occupied by the crown of grasses, <br />the main stems of shrubs and forbs at or near ground level and <br />at a height of 1.35m for tree species was recorded for each <br />species along the entire length of the line. Basal cover of <br />understory species was also recorded. <br />• 2.7 Trees and Shrubs <br />h?easurement of shrub height was made at each sample <br />location. The height of all individual shrubs intercepting <br />the line was recorded to the nearest certimenter at the highest <br />point along the line of interception. <br />A plant species was considered a shrub if a perennial <br />stem was ten centimeters or more above the soil surface. <br />Plants with woody bases but herbaceous stems and cushion plants <br />were not considered shrubs. <br />The height, diameter at 1.j5 meters (D.B.H.) and species <br />of each tree intercepting the line was recorded. <br />• <br />7-3 <br />