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°'~~ SECTION 7.0 <br />• <br />iii iiiiiiiiiiiii iii <br />999 <br />Miscellaneous <br />Doc Date:12/11/2001 <br />7.1 Vegetation Monitoring for Seeding Exclusion in 1989 Derringer Pit Topsoil Area <br />As required by the Division (TR-46), Trapper is submitting yearly vegetation sampling <br />measurements for the no seed topsoil plot (56 ac) established in Derringer Pit in 1989. <br />The attached table 7-1 provides a list of the plant species encountered, herbaceous canopy <br />cover, herbaceous primary production and woody stem densities. Vegetation sampling was <br />conducted in the same manner on the exclusion plots as on other reclaimed areas. <br />Methods <br />Herbaceous plant canopy cover, annual primary production, and woody stem densities <br />were measured in 1990 on non-seeded plots (Derringer Pit) and seeded acreages in <br />Derringer and Enfield pits (1981-1988 reclamation). Three permanent 100-meter tran- <br />sects spaced 10 m apart were established in each reclaim year in each pit in range sites A, <br />B, and C. Herbaceous plant canopy cover and percent mulch cover were estimated by <br />species using the point-hit technique (Optical Point Bar). Each 100-meter permanent line <br />transect was estimated at each site and 10 observations recorded along each line transect <br />at 10-meter interval (total 100 contacts/transect). <br />• Annual herbaceous primary production was estimated by clipping plots (20 m interval} in <br />each reclaim area (both range site A, B and C) by year. One-quarter-meter plots were <br />clipped (total), weighed with a spring scale, placed into a labeled paper sack, and brought <br />to the laboratory for drying and weighing. Oven drying was performed at 50 degrees centi- <br />grade fora 24-hour period. <br />Woody stem density was calculated using the point-center-quarter (PCQ) method. Five <br />PCQ's were conducted on each line transect at 20-m spacing. Distances from the center of <br />each PCQ to the nearest live stem in each quarter was recorded and the plant species <br />identified. <br />Results <br />As expected, vegetation response during the initial growing season on the seeding exclu- <br />sion plot is dominated by annual/biannual plant species (Table 7-1). The herbaceous cover <br />provided by these annual biannual plants was approximately 65%. Litter cover was <br />approximately 16%. Primary production the initial year was 1812 #/ac. <br />During the initial growing season the above mentioned cover and production measure- <br />ments mean very little since their source is primarily from annual/biannual plant species. <br />However, the woody stem density measurements may be of more value. Generally, woody <br />stem densities are highest the year following topsoil replacement and are followed by sev- <br />eral years of declining trends. Four woody plants (Saskatoon Serviceberry, Big Sagebrush, <br />Common Chokecherry and Mountain Snowberry) are represented in the initial woody <br />vegetation inventory. The woody stem density for the seeding exclusion area (RSA & B <br />established in 1989 and monitored during 1990 is 61 stems per acre. This relatively low <br />number of woody plants may in part be due to the poor visibility within the plot resulting <br />