Laserfiche WebLink
Cover <br />Eight individual species representing three lifeforms were encountered during the <br />sampling of the reclaimed azea. They included graminoids, forbs, and woody shrubs. <br />The plant species observed and their characteristics are presented in Table 1. Average <br />total vegetation cover of the reclaimed area was 8.93 percent. Based on cover sampling <br />graminoids represented 4.92 percent mean cover (55.10 percent relative cover), forbs <br />accounted for 3.60 percent mean cover (40.31 percent relative cover), and shrubs 0.40 <br />percent mean cover (4.48 percent relative cover). <br />The dominant plant species was Convolvulus arvensis (Field bindweed) at 3.47 percent <br />mean cover (38.86 percent relative cover). Five additional species provided significant <br />additional cover (greater than three percent relative cover). Those species were: <br />Agropyron smithii (Western wheatgrass) with 0.40 percent mean cover (4.48 percent <br />relative cover), Bouteloua curtipendula (Side-oats grama) with 1.33 percent mean cover <br />(14.89 percent relative cover), Bromus inermis (smooth brome) with 0.93 percent mean <br />cover (10.41 percent relative cover), Sporobolus cryptandrus (Sand dropseed) with 2.13 <br />percent mean cover (23.85 percent relative cover), and Ceratoides Janata (Winterfat) <br />with 0.40 percent mean cover (4.48 percent relative cover). Vegetative litter (prior yeaz's <br />growth, dead wood, and other biologic organic material) comprised 34.53 percent ground <br />cover within the reclaimed area. Baze soil comprised 53.73 percent of the ground cover <br />encountered. Rock material was encountered 2.80 percent of the time during cover <br />sampling at the reclaimed area. <br />Species Composition <br />The total number of plant species encountered during cover sampling was nine. <br />Graminoids accounted for six species, forbs -two species, and shrubs -one species. Of <br />the species encountered five were native and two were introduced. Only perennial <br />species were encountered. Seasonality of the reclaimed azea species was split evenly <br />between cool and warm season plants -four cool and four warm. <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 yeaz's growth within two quarter- <br />meter quadrats positioned at the ends of the transect. Each of the two quadrats' clipped <br />vegetation was placed into separate bags to be dried and weighed at a Colorado State <br />University Laboratory facility. The production results for each transect can be found in <br />Table 3. The production standard was to attain a minimum of 28.97 pounds per acre (or <br />1.62 grams per half meter squazed) of oven dried biomass. Average production at this <br />site was 293.2 pounds per acre (or 32.84 grams per meter squared). The standard <br />6 <br />