Laserfiche WebLink
<br />Herbaceous production was determined by clipping all above-ground biomass <br />for grass and forb species within a circular one square meter plot. Plant <br />materials were separated by life form and weighed. Part of the production <br />samples were collected in conjunction with cover sampling along the 50 meter <br />cover transects described earlier. The location of each production sample was <br />selected as a random number between 0 and 50. Where addtional production <br />samples were needed to achieve sample adequacy, the additional sample <br />locations were selected using the same random process used to locate the 50 <br />meter cover transects. At these sample sites the observer tossed the plot hoop <br />over his back to locate the plot. All clipped materials were placed into labeled <br />paper sacks and returned to the laboratory for weighing. All samples were <br />dried for 24 hours in a 100 degree centigrade drying oven and oven dry weights <br />were determined by weighing each sample on an electronic scale to the nearest <br />tenth of a gram. <br />Sample adequacy was calculated for each area sampled using the formula <br />contained in the CMLRD's vegetation guideline. In all instances, a statistically <br />adequate number of samples was collected to ensure that sampling for each <br />area would meet or exceed the ninety percent confidence interval. In most <br />instances, eight samples were taken and the data analyzed to determine <br />whether or not sample adequacy had been achieved. Sample adequacy with <br />respect to cover was determined in the field using total plant cover. Estimates <br />of sample adequacy for production samples were initially based on green <br />weights obtained in the field and ver'fied using oven-dry weights. The maximum <br />sample size of fifty samples was used as specified in the CMLRD's vegetation <br />guideline in the limited instances where sample adequacy could not be achieved <br />with fewer samples. <br />Plants were identified using Harrington (1964) as the primary reference, <br />however, the newer manual of Weber (1987) was also consulted. With sampling <br />occurring late in the year, loss of floral parts on many of the grasses hindered <br />3 <br />