PERMFILE136392

• Permit No: C1981035
• IBM Index Class Name: Permit File
• Doc Date: 6/15/2006
• Section_Exhibit Name: KII Appendix 07 Baseline Vegetation Report
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

I and 0.62 percent relative cover, true shrubs provided 4.00 percent total and 23.79 percent
relative cover, and the trees contributed 0.13 percent total and 2.85 percent relative cover.
The dominant vasculaz plant species of the community was the introduced annual cool season
grass Bromus tectorum. Bromus tectorum accounted for 28.13 percent of the mean cover and
38,41 percent relative cover. The native shrub Chrysothamnus nauseosus provided the
second highest cover value with 12.40 percent mean cover and 15.86 percent relative cover.
There were four additional species contributing three or more percent relative cover; Bromus
inermis with 7.07 percent total cover and 8.67 percent relative cover, Agropyron
trachycaulum (slender wheatgrass) contributed 7.60 percent total and 8.05 percent relative
cover, Artemisia tridentata (big sage) accounted for 4.53 percent total and 7.81 percent
relative cover, and Agropyron smithii (western wheatgrass) contributed 5.20 percent total and
6.69 percent relative cover.. Vegetative litter (prior yeaz's growth, dead wood, and other
biologic organic material) comprised an average 16.67 percent ground cover within the
community. Bare soil comprised 6.60 percent of the ground cover encountered. No rock or
cryptogams were encountered during cover sampling.
3.1.1.2 Herbaceous Production
Total herbaceous production within the rabbitbrush/big sage mixed shrubland was-77.02
g/m2 (6851b/ac).
3.1.1.3 Species Composition
• Within the vegetation community five lifeforms were represented; grasses, forbs, sub-shrubs;
true shrubs, and trees. The total number of species encountered during cover sampling within
the community in 2005 was twenty-seven. Graminoids accounted for seven species, forbs
fourteen species, one sub-shrub, three true shrubs, and two tree species were present. Of the
species encountered, 20 were native and seven were introduced.
Perennial species outnumbered annual species by 16 to 11. Seasonality of the species was
dominated by cool season species that accounted for 19 species with warm season species
contributing two species, and the shrubs and trees showing no seasonal preference. Of the
species encountered, six represented greater than three percent relative cover; Bromus
tectorum (38.41%), Chrysothamnus nauseosus (15.86%), Bromus inermis (8.67%),
Agropyron trachycaulum (8.05%), Artemisia tridentata (7.81%), and Agropyron smithii
(6,69%).
3:1.1.4 Woody Plant Density
Three true shrub species and two tree species were encountered during woody plant density
sampling. The shrub species included Chrysothamnus nauseosus, Artemisia tridentata,
Symphoricarpos montanus (snowberry), Pinus edulis, and Juniperus osteosperma. The most
commonly encountered woody plant was Chrysothamnus nauseosus with a mean of 22.41
individuals/50 mz (0.4/m2 or 1814/acre). Artemisia tridentata contributed the second highest
density with 13.67 individuals/50 m2 (0.3/mZ or 1106/acre), while the remaining species
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National King Coal LLC Page 5
King II Mine 20Q5 Baseline Vegetation Report