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Cover-Point Optical Point Projection Device. Sampling occurred at randomly located <br />and randomly oriented 50 m transects, along each of which 100 points were <br />systematically spaced at a rate of 2 points per meter. At each meter a point was <br />vertically projected from 50 cm left of the transect and subsequently another was <br />projected from 50 cm to the right of the transect, thus avoiding trampling associated with <br />laying out the transect tape. Litter was considered to be any organic material that had <br />fallen, or and begun to fall to the soil surtace. Standing dead was any dead plant <br />material that was produced in previous years but which was still standing and had not' <br />lodged or broken off to become litter. In addition to "first hit" data (the first interception <br />of any of the above materials as a point is projected from above), "additional hit" data <br />(any additional live species intercepted between the first hit and the ground) were <br />collected. First hit interceptions were used to calculate absolute top layer (first hit) foliar <br />cover by dividing the number of interceptions for a particular species or material by the <br />total number of points taken (100). First hit relative vegetation cover was calculated by <br />dividing first hit absolute cover for each species by the total first hit vegetation cover. <br />All-layer absolute cover was calculated by dividing all hits for particular species by the <br />total number of points taken (100). In addition, all-layer relative cover was calculated <br />using all hits for particular species divided by the total vegetation hits accumulated <br />during sampling of the transect. <br />Woody Plant Density Sampling for Random Taansects <br />In Area E, the quantitative abundance of woody plants was assessed by sampling. <br />Woody plant density data were collected along the randomly located and oriented 50m <br />transects used in sampling of plant cover in this area. In each each woody plant density <br />sample, all trees, shrubs and subshrubs with root crowns located within the boundaries <br />of 2 X 50m quadrats ("belt transects") were sallied according to species and life stages <br />as follows: seedling, mature, or dead. <br />Within areas 003 and HG8, it was deemed more efficient to conduct a full inventory. <br />Hence, in these areas, every shrub within the boundary fence was tallied individually by <br />species. <br />