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• 3.3 Plant Species List <br />A total of 133 species of vascular plants were identified in the study <br />area during the 1980 growing season. These 133 species encompass 37 families <br />end 106 genera. Lifeforms ere represented as follows: 10 trees, 24 shrubs <br />end subshrubs, 23 graminoids, 72 forbs, and 4 succulents. The flora of the <br />site is characterized by the presence of numerous annual weetly forbs, a large <br />number of introduced grasses, a diverse number of native deciduous shrubs, <br />end both annual and perennial cool season mid-grasses with a bunchgrass <br />growth form. See Table 3.3.-1. <br />Twenty-five plant species-18 percent of the total identified--are <br />introductions from outside of the region. Introduced species consist of <br />2 trees, 1 shrub, 5 grasses, and 17 forbs. One introduced forb, Canada <br />thistle, is listed by Thornton et al. 119741 as being a prohibited noxious <br />weed, especially difficult To control. <br />There are no federally listed threatened or endangered plant species <br />present on the study site. <br />3.4 Reference Areas <br />Reference areas were established only for the Pinyon-Juniper Woodland. <br />• Agency personnel agreed that the affected area data for the Rubber Rabbit- <br />brush Shrubland vegetation coultl represent the reclamation success standards <br />for vegetation cover end production. See Section 3.2.2. Production data <br />from the hayfield near the railroad spur provides the reclamation standard <br />for this vegetation type. See Sections 3.2.6 and 3.2.7. It was agreed by <br />agency personnel that disturbances in all other vegetation types were too <br />small to warrant reference areas. <br />3.4.1 Pinyon-Juniper Woodland Reference Area <br />the Pinyon-Juniper Woodland reference area is located on a north- <br />east feting slope north of the Crystal River Ranch buildings outside of all <br />potential project disturbance. The reference area is square in shape and <br />encompasses approximately six acres. <br />The Pinyon-Juniper Woodland reference Brea is statistically repre- <br />sentative of the affected area with respect to cover and production. The <br />tree, shrub, and herbaceous strata are also similar. Total cover in the <br />reference area is 57.7 percent compared to 51.3 percent for the effected <br />Brea. Tree cover is dominant with 50.7 percent or 88 percent of the total <br />vegetation cover. Graminoids, forbs, end succulents are sparse, with 4.7, <br />0.7, end 0.3 percent cover, respectively. Litter cover is relatively high <br />(26.3 percents, while soil cover is intermediate 114.0 percent 1, and rock <br />cover fairly low 12.0 percent). See Table 3.4.1-1. <br /> <br />-19- <br />