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• No vegetation grazing exclosures were placed in the field. The intensity <br />of livestock grazing was low, so exclosures weren't deemed necessary. To <br />document the degree of vegetation utilization, estimates were made in each <br />measurement area. One hundred point estimates were recorded with four <br />random placements of a 25m tape, and the determination was made at lm <br />intervals along the tape. At each meter of the tape, the herbaceous plant <br />nearest the point was observed for any visible evidence of forage removal <br />by wildlife or livestock. Plants were categorized as either grazed or <br />ungrazed and after 100 points were recorded, the percentage of grazed <br />herbaceous plants was computed. Estimates were made in September, <br />shortly after plot clipping was completed. <br />2.4 Foliage Cover <br />Foliage cover was estimated using a steel pointfrequency frame slightly <br />more than one meter in length. The frame had two bars parallel to each <br />other, and the ground surface, and elevated about 50 and 75 cm above <br />ground level. Each bar was drilled with ten holes at lOcm intervals, <br />• which were aligned vertically. The lower bar had crosshair sighting <br />marks. The frame was used by positioning it perpendicular to the ground <br />surface and sighting downward through the pair of holes. When upper <br />and lower holes were aligned it was possible to sight along a very fine line <br />perpendicular to the intersection of the two cross hairs. Following this <br />line down vertically from the observer's eye the first (highest above <br />ground) intercept with herbaceous vegetation (leaves, stems, etc.) was <br />recorded. This foliage intercept was a measure of foliage cover. If no <br />herbaceous vegetation intercepted the line of sight, then either vegetation <br />litter or bare Bound were recorded as the observation at ground level <br />(Muellerpombois and Ellenburg, 1974) . <br />Woody vegetation seldom obscured viewing of herbaceous plants. When it <br />did, a satisfactory approach was to carefully push it aside so that the line <br />of sight was no longer interrupted. <br />To obtain estimates of herbaceous foliage cover (pointfrequency estimates) <br />• numerous intercept readings and frame placements were made. On the <br />mine plan area and reference areas, the frame was placed perpendicular to <br />