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ASPEN COMMUNITY SAMPLING AT THE WEST ELK MINE <br />The aspen community was described for the original SMCRA permit application in <br />1976 (MCC, 1996). As part of this description, quantitative sampling of an aspen <br />stand in Sylvester Gulch was undertaken. Although different sampling methodologies <br />were employed which prevent direct comparison, a qualitative assessment and <br />comparison of the 1976 and 1996 results are appropriate. <br />In 1976 the investigators found that the canopy of the aspen community was entirely <br />dominated by Populus tremuloides. The canopy coverage was quantitatively estimated <br />at 50 percent. A shrub understory, consisting of two layers was identified in 1976. <br />The shrub layers were divided into a tall layer, dominated by Prunus virglniana, <br />Quercus gambe/i% Amelanchier alnilo/ia, and Populus tremuloides. The lower shrub <br />layer was populated by Symphoricarpos rotundilolius and Rosa woodsii, with <br />Symphoricarpos being dominant. A low herbaceous stratum was sampled and <br />contained fifteen species, dominated by Osmorhiza obtusa (sweet Cicely) and Carex <br />geyeri. The total number of species encountered in the 1976 sample was nineteen. <br />The characterization of the aspen community from 1976 compares very closely with the <br />results of the 1996 quantitative sampling. The observations regazding aspen canopy <br />dominance and cover compare very closely to the results of the 1996 vegetation <br />• sampling (50.40 percent cover in 1996). The 1976 sampling identified two shrub strata <br />and a herbaceous dominated low stratum, while the 1996 sampling identifed these strata <br />and added a low shrub strata. This may be explained by the increased number of <br />samples taken during the 1996 sampling effort. The dominant species within the <br />canopy, shrub strata, and herbaceous stratum are equivalent with one exception. In <br />1996, Rosa uvodsii was not as notable a component of the low shrub stratum as in <br />1976. Total species numbers were higher in 1996 (34 versus 19), however, there was <br />only one representative sample analyzed from the aspen community in 1976. <br />Based on these comparisons of 1976 and 1996 characterizations of the aspen <br />community, it is apparent that the community has not significantly changed in cover, <br />dominant species, or composition over the twenty year period. <br />J <br />-15- <br />