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Cover <br />Nine individual species representing three lifeforms were encountered during the <br />sampling of the reclaimed area. They included graminoids, forbs, and woody shrubs. <br />The plant species observed during cover analysis and their chazacteristics are presented in <br />Table 1. Total mean vegetation cover of the reclaimed area was 35.87 percent. Based on <br />cover sampling, graminoids represented 35.60 percent mean cover (99.26 percent relative <br />cover), forbs accounted for 0.13 percent mean cover (0.37 percent relative cover), and <br />shrubs 0.13 percent mean cover (0.37 percent relative cover). <br />The dominant plant species was Elymus lanceolatus (Streambank wheatgrass) at 12.80 <br />percent mean cover (35.69 percent relative cover). Three additional species provided <br />significant additional cover (greater than three percent relative cover). Those species <br />were: Agropyron intermedium (Intermediate wheatgrass) with 5.87 percent mean cover <br />(16.36 percent relative cover), Agropyron smithii (Western wheatgrass) with 5.73 percent <br />mean cover (15.99 percent relative cover), and Bromus inermis (Smooth brome) with <br />9.33 percent mean cover (26.02 percent relative cover). Vegetative litter (prior year's <br />growth, dead wood, and other biologic organic material) comprised 42.93 percent ground <br />cover within the reclaimed azea. Baze soil comprised 12.27 percent of the ground cover <br />encountered. Rock material was encountered 8.93 percent of the time during cover <br />sampling at the reclaimed azea. <br />Given this data, there aze a few points where the quantities found on the reclaimed area <br />do not match the standards. According to the data collected, both the shrub and forb <br />components do not meet the necessary two-species requirement. Only one shrub and one <br />forb were encountered during point-intercept sampling. Additionally, no warm season <br />gasses were encountered. Therefore, although the percent cover standard was met, these <br />other components of the standards were not met. <br />Species Composition <br />The total number of plant species encountered during cover sampling was nine. <br />Graminoids accounted for seven species, forbs -one species, and shrubs -one species. <br />Of the species encountered five were native and four were introduced. All species <br />encountered were either perennial or biennial. Seasonality of the reclaimed azea species <br />was cool, with the shrubs being the only exceptions. The shrub population was <br />deciduous. <br />The variety and diversity of the dominant plant lifeforms and species indicates the <br />successful establishment of a permanent vegetation community. The lack of annual or <br />invader species dominating the cover illustrates the stable nature of the reclaimed azea. <br />Production <br />Production was calculated by clipping all of the present year's growth within two quarter- <br />meter quadrats positioned at the ends of the transect. All vegetation was placed into one <br />7 <br />