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• Mean Reference Areas species density (no. of spedes per 100 sq.m.) - 1.15 s <br />In words, we aze selecting as the standard the midpoint (in terms of probability distribution) of the <br />lower half of the range of variation of the Reference Areas. <br />Note that this test addresses total spedes density, not just native spedes density (see Altenative Test <br />D below). (Noxious weeds will be omitted in conformance with other existing requirements). The <br />point of addressing total spedes density, including annual/biennial spedes and introduced species, is <br />that the total spedes density is arguably a strong indication of the existence of niche spaces that could <br />eventually be occupied by the native forb and woody plant spedes that exist in the Reference Areas. <br />The "best" (in the agricultural sense) stands of grass might not qualify because they would have <br />crowded out the "weeds" (which, in the agricultural sense, means most of the spedes that we aze <br />interested in here). At the other end of the spectrum, protection from accepting an actual `weed <br />patch" is assured by requirements limiting the partidpation of noxious weeds in cover and production <br />standazds. <br />• The final step for this assessment would be aone-sample t-test compaeing the reclaimed azea spedes <br />density mean against the Reference Areas standard number (described above). <br />For Example: If Reference Areas spedes density in the test yeaz has a mean total spedes density of <br />25.2 spedes per 100 sq.m. and a standard deviation of 5.3, the standard would be: <br />(1.15)x5.3=19.1 <br />Thus, since the area of reclamation being tested at the mitre that yeaz averaged 21.1 spedes per 100 <br />sq.m., Altemative Test B was satisfied. (Note that these aze no statistics involved here -- since the <br />reclaimed area value was greater than the standazd). <br />• ALTERNATIVE TEST C.• Assessment of the Dxrtnbutian of Species Abundance Among Isfefarnu in <br />Comparison to the Referenn Aear <br />Part of the quality of diversity in reclaimed lands as they carry forth into the future relates to the total <br />• number of spedes that the ecosystem can support (Alternative Test A above). And part relates to the <br />distribution of the development of those spedes among the various lifefoxms in comparison to the <br />PR-02 43 Revised 01/06 <br />