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• Ground cover will be evaluated along each transect by <br />sampling two points (1.0-meter apart) at 1.0-m intervals. Cover <br />will be classified as vegetation, litter, or rock. Lack of cover <br />will be classified as bare soil. Vegetation will be further <br />classified by species. Each transect will consist of 50 point <br />samples. <br />Using a Cover-Point Optical Point Projection Device <br />(Model 2), each point sample will be determined by projecting the <br />ocular sight vertically downward to the sample location on the <br />transect and recording all "hits" on vegetation. The "hits" will <br />be used to estimate total vegetative cover for each transect <br />according to equation 2. <br />(2) <br />Total Veg. Cover = No. Hits on Vegetation x 100 <br />Total Hits of Points <br />The mean vegetative cover for each of the two areas is the mean <br />value for the ten transects. <br />The composition of plant species in each area will also <br />be evaluated using the data acquired from the vegetative cover <br />• transects. Data from the transects will be used ir_ ecuation 3 to <br />determine the relative cover of each species detected: <br />(3) <br />% Relative Cover of Species X = % Cover of Species X <br />% Total Veg. Cover <br />The percent total vegetative cover for each of the areas <br />is the mean of the ten transects. <br />Diversity will be calculated by lumping the plants into <br />groups of: cool season grasses, warm season grasses, and fortis. <br />Then comparing the number of species in each group to the standard. <br />_ Production comparisons will be made by clipping six 0.1 <br />m' plots located along each transect. The production plots will be <br />located along one side of the transect. Sample size adequacy will <br />be determined by equation 1. <br />Data analysis will consist of comparing test plot <br />production with reference area production. If this comparison <br />indicates production is insufficient, but close to the standard, a <br />statistical analysis will be conducted to determine if the <br />vegetation is statistically acceptable. The statistical methods <br />• that will be used are described below. <br />(Revised 05/12/87) <br />(Revised 04/15/94) <br />2.05-23 <br />