Laserfiche WebLink
<br />Plot Size, Shape, and Orientation <br />At each sample site a I meter by 50 meter rectangular quadrat was oriented in a random <br />direction by tossing a meter stick with one end marked for direction of orientation. <br />Shrub Measurements <br />Shrubs at each site which were rooted within the I meter x 50 meter rectangular quadrat <br />were counted by species and the low and high shrub heights recorded in centimeters. <br />Additionally, the compass orientation of the transect, the average percent slope, and the <br />slope aspect were recorded. <br />RESULTS <br />Establishment of shrubs has occurred in all of the areas studied, but was variable within <br />each of the three types. Shrub establishment increased substantially from the older <br />graded spoils with no topsoil to the newer direct haul topsoiled areas. While many tran- <br />sects in the topsoiled areas did not have shrubs rooted within, shrubs were present in the <br />immediate vicinity of the transecis. <br />Big sagebrush and mountain snowberry contributed the highest numbers to total shrub <br />composition in'fopsoiled areas. Big sagebrush and rubber rabbitbrush hod the highest <br />numbers in graded spoils. In topsoiled areas, all major shrub species present in the mixed <br />brush and sagebrush grassland types were reestablishing. <br />Results of the three sample study areas are detailed in the following sections. <br />Graded Spoils/No Topsoil (Area S) <br />The study area included those areas of graded and seeded spoils reclaimed from the <br />period of 1972 to 1976. Topsoiling was not carried out on any of the 132 acres included <br />in the sample area. <br />A total of 28 sites were sampled out of the original 30 sites planned. One sample site <br />was dropped because of recent disturbance from grading and topsoiling activities, while <br />the other sample site was discarded because field observations indicated it was an asso- <br />ciated surface disturbance. Since the disturbance at this site was confined to the upper <br />soil layers and did not destroy all plant rooting materials, the shrubs had regenerated by <br />root sprouting to a sampled density of 6155 stems/acre and thus was not representative <br />of the study area. <br />-4- <br />