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<br /> <br /> <br /> <br />1 <br />1 <br /> <br />1 <br /> <br />u <br />1 <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />1 <br /> <br />closely as total vegetation cover. Herbaceous production in 1982 dry meadow <br />communities differed between the dry meadow reference area and dry meadow affected <br />area, while in 1995 the dry meadow reference area exhibited herbaceous production <br />equivalent to the 1982 levels, even with increased growing season precipitation. <br />Herbaceous production sampling at the historic record vegetation community in 1996 <br />showed a low level of herbaceous production for a graminoid community <br />corresponding to the dry growing season. <br />Total species numbers also appear affected by growing season precipitation also. In <br />1982, 13 and IS total species were reported in the dry meadow affected and dry <br />meadow reference areas respectively during an average growing season. In 1995, a <br />wet yeaz, total species numbers increased by 50 percent in the same vegetation <br />community. In 1996, a dry growing season, total species numbers at the historic <br />record vegetation community were low, approximately half the number of species <br />encountered in the dry meadow communities during an average yeaz. <br />Table 9 provides a comparison of relative cover in the dry meadow affected area, dry <br />meadow reference azea, and historic record vegetation community during the sample <br />years 1982, 1995, and 1996. Interestingly, four plant species (Agropyron smithii, <br />Bromus inermis, Poa pratensis, and Conrowlus arvensis) are dominant in each of the <br />communities during all of the sample years. The single exception was Agropyron <br />intermedium in the 1996 historic record vegetation community. <br />Based on comparisons of vegetation cover, herbaceous production, and species <br />composition, the graminoid dominated dry meadow vegetation communities and the <br />historic record vegetation community are very similaz in biologic character as well as <br />response to the physical constraints of growing season precipitation. The historic <br />record vegetation community closely reflects the character of the dry meadow <br />vegetation community at and adjacent to the mine. The historic record vegetation <br />community also closely resembles the character of vegetation communities established <br />on the reclaimed mine landscape (Savage and Savage, 1995a). <br />-17- <br />