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• Succulent cover is comprised of three species. These are, in <br />descending order, plains pricklypear, Whipple cholla (Opun.tia whipp~eil, <br />and datil yucca. <br />Cryptogam cover is low, accounting for 0.2 percent cover. Addi- <br />tional minor plant species are listed in Table 11. <br />Production <br />Total average production in the Caprock area averages 46.0 g/2 m2 <br />or 2.05 Ibs/acre. Perennial forbs produce about 60 percent of the total <br />production. Perennial grasses produce about 20 percent of total production. <br />The major grass species are sand dropseed, squirreltail, Indian ricegrass, <br />and intermediate wheatgrass (Ag~.opy~oa inte~me~iuml. Intermediate wheatgrass <br />occurs along and adjacent to several disturbances in the area which have been <br />seeded over the years. Cheatgrass, an annual graminoid, averages 4.5 g/2 m2 <br />or about 10 percent of the total production. Native and introduced annual <br />forbs produce 3.7 and 1.8 g/2 m2, respectively (Table 121. <br />Shrub Density and Heiqht <br />Total average shrub density is 2.9 shrubs/50 m2, or about 235 <br />shrubs/acre. About 65 percent of the total shrub density is comprised of <br />Gambel oak and true mountain mahogany (Table 13). <br />• Shrub heights range from 183 cm for cliff fendlerbush to 30 cm for <br />squaw-apple. Gambel oak and true mountain mahogany average 89 and 135 cm, <br />respectively. <br />Tree Density <br />Total tree density in the Caprock vegetation unit averages <br />10.8 trees/250 m2 or about 175 trees/acre. Approximately 60 percent of the <br />total tree density is comprised of pinyon pine (6.5 trees/250 m21, with the <br />remainder accounted for by Utah juniper (4.3 trees/250 m21 (Table 141. <br />Estimated height for mature trees ranges from about 2 m to about 7 m. <br />3.3 REFERENCE AREA DESCRIPTIONS <br />3.3.1 Mountain Shrublan <br />The Mountain Shrubland reference area is roughly rectangular in <br />shape and includes approximately 3.6 acres. It occurs on gentle to moderate <br />west-facing slopes. A portion of the reference area was previously cleared <br />of shrubs and was included because the increased herbaceous production and <br />more open structure occurring there would approximate more reaslisYically <br />the goal of revegetation in the Mountain Shrubland vegetation type. This goal <br />is to re-establish vegetational cover including tall shrubs as well as <br />enhanced herbaceous production and diversity. This would increase the overall <br />• wildlife value of the area. <br />-13- <br />