PERMFILE115685 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

• similar to that of the grassland phase of the sagebrush grassland type. No plots were randomly located within this phase. In several areas near sections 15 and 16, range improvements have been made which have altered the vegetation. The large shrubs have been remove to allow the understory species to be more productive. The practice has removed most of the serviceberry and in the process most of the sagebrush. Snowberry dominates these sites with numerous grasses and forbs (Figure 3.9). Absence of grazing for the past four years in section 11 was another factor contributing to the variability within the sagebrush grassland type. This area is contolled by the Colo-Wyo mine and is within their fenced perimeter boundary. Samples sites 4> 5, 12, and 16 were within this area. All samples from the various phases were pooled for the sagebrush grassland analysis. The sagebrush grassland reference area was Located in section 30 on a • south facing slope at a elevation of 8040 feet. Cover - Total vegetation cover within the sagebrush grassland type from study area samples was 59.3 percent (Table 3.7 j. Bare ground had 12.5 percent while rock and litter combined had 28.2 percent. Shrub species comprised 21.8 percent cover and big sagebrush, the dominant shrub, had 13.2 percent cover. Western snowberry had 6.1 percent cover. Perennial grasses had 20.7 percent cover of which Kentucky bluegrass had 5.5 percent cover. Western wheatgrass had 4.2 percent cover and bluebunch wheatgrass had 4 percent cover. Perennial forbs had 12.8 percent cover of which silvery lupine, arrowleaf balsamroot, eriogonum, and thistle were the most abundant. Total vegetation cover within reference area samples was higher than that of study area samples with 74.3 percent (Table 3.7 ). Bare ground was considerably lower with 5.6 percent cover, and titter and rock combined were 18 • Exhibit 10, Item 5 Revision Date: 03/06/07 23 Revision No.: PR-02