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-31- REVised OCT ~ 0 1981 <br />• Vegetation Type #2 -Upland Sagebrush. The upland sagebrush type on the <br />affected area canprised 6.06 acres or 5.7~ of the total permit area. The <br />type occurs on well~irained soils on areas not disturbed by agricultural <br />practices (Map entitled "Vegetation Types", Appendix A). Eighteen species <br />were en~untered in cover quadrats and the species diversity index was 2.14. <br />Total Dover (vegetation plus bare ground plus litter-rock) for the upland <br />sagebrush affected area was estimated at 81.6$. Of this total, vegetation <br />basal cover accounted for 13.4$. Litter-rock and bare ground canprised 26.6 <br />and 41.68 of the total Dover, respectively. The type is characterized by <br />Basin big sagebrush. :"his species evidenced 4.4; basal cover, the highest <br />of any species, while canopy cover estimates were 22.2. Also, big sagebrush <br />had the highest frequency value (38.5) of any species whose base was <br />encountexed in Dover quadrats. Forbs accounted for 32.88 of the total vege- <br />tation basal cover. The most eomnonly encountered forb (25.6 frequency) <br />and the 7cb3t dominant in terms of cover was redstem filaree (Erodium cicutar- <br />ium). Russianthistle, scarlet globemallow, tumbling hedgemustard and stick- <br />. seed were other ooraron forbs. Grasses contributed 29.9 of the total vegeta- <br />tive basal Cover. Sand dropseed and cheatgrass brume (Bromus tectorum) were <br />the most common grasses encountered. <br />Density of big sagebrush on the upland sagebrush affected area averaged 1833 <br />shrubs/ha. Tc~o other shrub species were also present in this type: Four- <br />wing saltbush at 180 shrubs/ha and rubber rabbitbrush at 86.4 shrubs/ha. <br />Shzvb height for big sagebrush averaged 36.6 can (19.4 inches). Four-wing <br />saltbush (Atriplex canescens) ~Tas also present on the site; the species <br />was approximately twice as high as big sagebrush with an average height of <br />71.1 an (28.0 inches). <br />Uplarrl sagebrush in the affected aret. was the most productive vegetation type <br />sampled on the permit area; total pr~xjuction was 917.3 lbs/acre. Basin big <br />sagebrush acwunted for 79.OB of the total production (721.9 lbs/acre). The <br />grass and forb stratum contributed 91.0 and 6.08, respectively, to total <br />production. Sub-shrubs (i. e., brown snakeweed) accounted for the remaining <br />. 3.28 production. Percent moisture content averaged 36.4 for grasses and <br />43.98 for forbs. <br />