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• weedy milkvetch (Aatragalua miser) (1.5 percent cover and 60 percent <br />frequency). These five speces accounted for 62 percent of the total <br />cover by all species. Total vegetation cover was 24.7 percent and <br />cover by bare soil was 2.8 percent. Species density (the number of <br />species per unit area) in the reference area was 15.0 species per <br />square meter. The species composition and major dominants are <br />consistent with what would be expected in a big sagebrush shrubland <br />in this part of Colorado. Because of the north-facing aspect, the <br />amount of Letterman needlegrass is somewhat higher in the reference <br />area than would otherwise be expected. On drier sites, species like <br />muttongrasa (Poa fendlertiana), bluebunch wheatgrass (Agropyron <br />apticatum), and western wheatgrass (Agropyron amtithtiti) would be more <br />prevalent. <br />• Total production in the upland sagebrush reference area was <br />122.9 g/m Cool season perennial grasses accounted for 56 percent <br />of the total, and perennial forbs accounted for 38.8 percent of the <br />total (Table 3). Major contributing species included Letterman <br />needlegrass, slender wheatgrass (Agropyron traohycaulum), and <br />bluebunch wheatgrass. <br />Mixed Mountain Shrubland Reference Area. The mixed mountain <br />shrubland reference area occurs on a gently sloping west facing slope <br />on the west edge of the permit area (Figure 2). The site occurs just <br />east of an exposed sandstone ridge. The proximity of the sandstone <br />serves to shade the reference area in the late afternoon. In all, 65 <br />species of vascular plants were observed in the reference area (Table <br />4). Most of the species are perennial forbs. The major species in <br />• the herb layer of the reference area included mountain snowberry <br />11 <br />