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Woody plant density, by species, for the sagebrush, mountain shrub, <br />and aspen communities is shown on Table 5, Woody Plant Density. <br />Following is a general description of each of the vegetation <br />communities, including various environmental factors contributing <br />to the distribution of the types. The relationships between soil <br />particle size versus soil moisture and their combined effect on <br />vegetation community distribution is illustrated on Figure 1, <br />Environmental Gradient/Plant Tolerance Graph. <br />Sagebrush Community <br />The sagebrush community is characterized by almost complete <br />dominance of the overstory by big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata), <br />and snowberry (Symphoricarpos oreophilus), at a density of 2,739 <br />and 1,822 plants per acre, respectively. The measurement of <br />snowberry density is a very subjective measurement whereby large <br />clumps of the species make actual measurement of individual plants <br />along the transect very difficult. Therefore, the given density <br />value is, at best, an approximation of actual density but still <br />provides an indication of relative abundance in the overall <br />• vegetative community. For additional woody plant density values by <br />species refer to Table 5, Woody Plant Density. <br />The growth form of the community is characterized by scattered <br />shrubs of low to medium height, rarely exceeding four feet. <br />Numerous areas of open ground exist with various grasses and forbs <br />comprising the understory. The most abundant grasses are western <br />wheatgrass (Agropyron smithii), Kentucky Bluegrass (Poa pratensis), <br />mountain brome (Bromus marginatus), and green needlegrass (Stipa <br />viridula). The most abundant forbs are lupine (Lupinus caudatus), <br />wild onion (Allium spp.), arrowleaf balsamroot (Balsamorhiza <br />sagittata), and yarrow (Achillea lanulosa). During 1980 and 1988'/ <br />the total herbaceous cover was determined to be 30.9% and 39.71% <br />respectively. For details on cover of individual species refer to <br />Table 2, 1980 Herbaceous Cover by Species and Table 2A, 1988 <br />Herbaceous Cover by Species. <br />• <br />2.04.10-9 <br />