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• each studied area on the basis of importance values. <br />Production Sampling. Production data were obtained using a <br />harvest method. At each sampling location The vegetation within a <br />1.0 m2 square quadrat was clipped at ground level. As the plants <br />were clipped, they were sorted on the basis of species for grasses, <br />perennial fortis and semi-shrubs. In some cases annual fortis were <br />sorted on the basis of species and in other cases they were combined <br />into a single life form group. Woody species were not clipped. <br />Clipped samples were returned to the lab and were allowed to air dry. <br />Once they were air dry, they were oven dried at 105 degrees <br />centigrade for 24 hours and were then weighed to the nearest <br />one-hundredth of a gram. The data were summarized by computing mean <br />production and percent of total biomass for each species or life form <br />• group. <br />Shrub Density Sampling. Estimates of shrub density were <br />obtained at each sampling site using a belt transect method. A belt <br />transect 1 meter wide by SO meters long was randomly located at each <br />site. The height of all shrubs occurring within the transect was <br />measured to the nearest centimeter. These data were used to <br />determine shrub density and mean height for each shrub species <br />encountered along the transects. No shrub density data were obtained <br />for the reference areas. <br />Species Diversity. A record of all species observed within each <br />of the separate sampling areas was kept in order to prepare species <br />lists for each reclaimed area and reference area. The lists of <br />species provide a measure of the total species diversity within each <br />. area. Each list includes the scientific name, common name, family <br />3 <br />