Laserfiche WebLink
' ~ ~ Species~~di'versity in the. reclaimed areas along~~ the proposed haul road corridor wiil~ 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. Addto this a maximum disturbance width of 100to <br />' 200 feet and it becomes apparent that rapid shrub regeneration bV invasion is'highly I'rke{y. , <br />Iri 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 forks 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,~.foui grasses contributed relative cdver~greater than three <br />~~ percent in~thr:~baseline studies. No (orbs contributed relative .cover values of three percent or <br />'more, and shrubs were no[ a notable componentbi the type.~A~minimum of'tou.~grasses each - <br />will contribute relative cover values of ~ three ,percent or greater ~' in.'the reclaimedplant <br />.~ ~ ~~ , .communities. ~~: In ~ addition, one forb will be~ established. Each species will not, exceed 40 ~ ~~ <br />percent relative cover and the total"of the touC species will not exceed 75~percent relative <br />cover~.'•Species~diversity. wilt not be evaluated bn tha acres returned to ,cropland far obvious ~ ~ .~ <br />reasons. <br />Species~~diversi[y ~in the II-W Soutfi Ezten4ion area will be assessed based on the evaluation of~~ _' <br />the relative cover provided.~by each .of three,lifeforms and the species density present for each <br />~of; the same. three lifeforms. ~A tabular expression of the standard is as fotlows:~~. ~ ~ . , <br />~. ~ ~ . ~ Relative ~Cover'Ipercentl~. Species Density (spp.l100 sq.ml <br />Lifeform~ ~ ~ Minimum' Maximum Minimum ~ Maximum- _ <br />", Native~perennialgrasses 20. .~ 95~ 5~ ~ ~ NA <br />Native annual and ~ <br />Perennial forbs 7 ~ . 75 ~ B ~ NA ~ . <br />ShrubslTrees > ~ ~ 0.5 ~ ~. 75 ~~~ ~~ 1.5 ~ ~ ~.~NA . ~~ ~ ~ - <br />Adherence'to this standard will assure arepresentation of, native speciesin post-reclamation.: <br />' ~ ~ plant communities that establishes the potential of ihe'cpmmunity to~persist through periods ~ • <br />of adversity because of the presence of adapted native species. ~ -, <br />' 44 Revised i199. <br />