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3.4.2, Herbaceous Cover <br />• Four transect measurements were made for herbaceous cover on the mine <br />area and on the reference area. Total vegetation cover ranged from <br />26-39$ in these transects. Average cover on the mine area was 31.0$ + <br />6.9 and on the reference area it was 34.0$ ± 7.1 (Tables S.3 and S.4). <br />Statistical adequacy was met in sampling both these areas; no statistical <br />comparison was necessary since the reference area had slightly higher <br />cover. Percentage bare ground was considerably higher here than in the <br />aspen vegetation type, averaging about 2U$ in each area, reflecting the <br />more grid conditions of this community. Species composition was similar on <br />both the mine and reference areas and reflected composition also deter- <br />mined by clipping. Numerous forb species occurred in small amounts ( 1$) <br />in the transects. Herbaceous diversity was higher on the reference area <br />as a total of 26 plant species were encountered versus only 22 on the mine <br />area. <br />3.4.3 Woody Plant Density <br />Essentially all woody plants were lm tall in the sagebrush vegetation <br />type. Occasionally, tall serviceberry shrubs were present as isolated <br />individuals. Table S.5 summarizes results from the 2 x 25m quadrats <br />which were enumerated to estimate shrub density. Four plots were <br />counted in each area and the average number of shrubs/seedlings was <br />107.5 ± 20.5 on the mine area and 67.0 ± 9.2 on the reference area. <br />Both areas were sampled to meet the necessary statistical requirements. <br />Snowberry was the most numerous shrub in this vegetation type and big <br />sagebrush was second in abundance. Other shrubs were present at much <br />lower densities. Two species, silver sagebrush (Artemisia Cana) and <br />winterfat (Ceratoides Lanata) were counted only in sagebrush vegetation. <br />3.5 Gamebel Oak Vegetation Type <br />The Gambel oak community occurred frequently throughout the permit area <br />in both small and extensive patches. Only the extensive areas were sam- <br />pled since the small patches did not have sufficiently uni form vegetation. <br />Oaks seldom occurred as isolated in dividuals, but rather in clumps of at <br />least several trees. Extensive oak stands usually had a fairly uniform <br />canopy of trees which were about 3-5 m tall. This tree canopy was the <br />