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• Volume III Exhibit 5 Vegetation <br />The follow description of the Oak, Aspen and Pinyon/Juniper vegetation communities is <br />taken from the North Fork Coal EIS. <br />OAK <br />The Oak vegetation community occurs on ridge slopes, along ephemeral drainages, <br />and over level to moderately rolling mountain meadows. Near pure stands of Gambel <br />oak (Quercus gambelin dominate drier ridge slopes. Where the community occurs in <br />larger meadows and along drainages, it is more of a mixed shrub community composed <br />of a wide variety of shrub species. This is a reflection of more mesic site conditions and <br />wetter soil moisture regimes. The dominant shrub species is Gambel oak. Other shrubs <br />which can be co- or sub-dominant depending upon growing conditions include <br />snowberry (Symphoricarpos creophilus or S. rotundifolius) and serviceberry <br />(Amelanchier ainifolia). Herbaceous species such as lupine (Lupinus argenteus), white- <br />flowered peavine (Lathyrus leucanthus), and various upland sedge (Carex) species are <br />common in the understory (Johnston, 1997). Chokecherry (Prunus virginiana) is also a <br />common community component while small, sub-dominant aspen (Populus <br />tremuloides) stands may become established in wetter areas where this community <br />borders the aspen community. <br />• ASPEN <br />The Aspen vegetation type inhabits less steep slopes overall than the other tree- <br />dominated vegetation types on site, though its presence on somewhat steeper slopes <br />under the proper soil conditions is not uncommon. It intergrades with most of the other <br />vegetation types on site, excepting the Pinyon/Juniper, and characteristically has a <br />more open, highly productive understory. The dominant tree species is aspen. Common <br />understory species include Woods rose (Rosa woodsir), mountain brome (Bromus <br />marginatus), elk sedge (Carex geyen), white- flowered peavine, Fendier meadow-rue <br />(Thalictrum fendlerQ, and American vetch (Vicia americans) (Johnston, 1997). Wetter <br />expressions of this type, in depressions or adjacent to seeps and springs, often form <br />transition wetland vegetation communities. <br />PINYON/JUNIPER <br />The Pinyon/Juniper vegetation community occurs on steep west- and southwest-facing <br />slopes at elevations typically below 7,000 feet. Dominant species include Utah juniper <br />(Juniperus osteosperma) and Rocky Mountain juniper (Juniperus scopulorum) in the <br />tree stratum. Pinyon pine (Pinus edulus) is also present. Dominant understory species <br />include Gambel oak, mountain snowberry, Indian ricegrass (Oryzopsis hymencides), <br />and annual grasses (Western Resource Development Corporation, 1982). Rock <br />outcrops are a major component of this unit. The soils are typically shallow and <br />- droughty compared to the soils supporting the other tree- dominated vegetation <br />communities. <br />TR-012 - 2 - 2/00 <br />