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UPLAI+ID SAC~BRUSH AREAS <br />The upland sagebrush vegetation type within the affected area occupies <br />358.46 acres or 16.8% of the total undisturbed lands in the study area. <br />It occurs mainly on well-drained soils found on the soutlrw~estern section <br />of the study area. Scattered patches of sagebrush stands also occur <br />within the mixed brush type/aspen subtype throughout the southern edge <br />of the study area at the lower elevations (iyap 1, Appendix A). The type <br />is characterized by relatively homogeneous stands of Basin big sagebrush. <br />Snv.~berry and Douglas rabbitb~-ush (Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus) species <br />may be locally cortron in some areas of this type. <br />Twenty-five species were encountered in cover quadrats and the type <br />shooed a diversity index of 2.56. Total vegetation basal cover was <br />22.3%. The forb stratum accounted for 47.5% of the total vegetation <br />Dover (10.6% basal mover) while the grass and shrub strata accounted <br />for 34.5 and 17.9% of the total vegetation cover, respectively. Bare <br />ground and litter-rock evidenced 27.1 and 35.3% total cover, respectively. <br />Hasin big sagebrush accounted for 77.5% of the total shrub rover while <br />Agropyron spicatum (bluebunch wheatgrass), Stipa letterrttulii (Letterman <br />needlegrass) , Pacific aster and 13alsatrorhiza sagittata (arrocaleaf <br />balsamroot) exhibited the highest basal coups of the herbaceous under- <br />story. Plants encountered frost often Caere Basin big sagebrush (66.7% <br />frequency), Letternrvi needlegrass (45.80-), arrowleaf balsamroot (29.2%) <br />and ~ti ethia amplexicaulis (mulesear wyethia) (29.2%). <br />Total production on the upland sagebrush site caas 1103.3 lbs/acre. <br />The shrub strattan accounted for 56.6% of the total production while <br />the forb and grass strata contributed 31.7% and 11.7%, respectively. <br />Basin big sagebrush was the species exhibiting the highest production, <br />564.3 lbs/acre or 51% of the total vegetation production. Nlulesear <br />wyethia (113.4 lbs/acre), Helianthella uniflora (oneflaaer helianthella, <br />121.9 1bs/acre) and arrowleaf balsamroot (70.5 lbs/acre) were the most <br />productive herbaceous species. Average rrmisture content o-ras 49.0% <br />for grasses and 34.2% for (orbs. <br />' ~• <br />-60- <br />