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3.1.1.1 Vegetation Cover <br />Total vegetation cover of the reference azea was 60.40 percent. Graminoids provided 37.80 <br />• percent mean cover (60.00% relative cover), forbs contributed 2.40 percent mean cover <br />(3.42% relative cover), succulents provided 0.20 percent mean cover (0.53% relative cover), <br />and the woody shrub sand sage (Artemisia filifolia) was the dominant species in the <br />community with 20.00 percent mean cover and 36.05 percent relative cover. <br />The dominant vasculaz plant species of the reference area was the native woody shrub <br />Artemisia filifolia. Artemisia filifolia accounted for 20.00 percent of the mean cover and <br />36.05 percent relative cover: Stipa viridula provided the second highest cover with 15.60 <br />percent mean cover and 26.32 percent relative cover. Bromus tectorum accounted for 12.60 <br />percent mean cover and 20.00 percent relative cover. There was only one additional <br />significant cover contributor this year; Poa compressa (Canada bluegrass), providing 5.60 <br />percent mean cover (8.16°!o relative cover). Vegetative litter (prior yeaz's growth, dead wood, <br />and other biologic organic material) comprised an average 31.20 percent ground cover within <br />the reference area. Bare soil comprised 8.40 percent of the ground cover encountered in the <br />reference azea. No rock or cryptogams were encountered during this year's cover sampling. <br />3.1.1.2 Herbaceous Production <br />Total herbaceous production at the Osgood sand reference azea was the second highest of all <br />areas sampled with 117.80 g/m2 (1050.07 lb/ac). Perennial graminoids contributed the <br />greatest level of herbaceous production in the reference azea with 82.05 g/m2 (731 lb/ac) or <br />69.6 percent of the total reference area herbaceous production. Annual graminoids accounted <br />for the next greatest contribution to reference azea herbaceous production, comprising <br />32.99 g/m2 (244 lblac) and 28.0 percent of total herbaceous production. Annual forbs <br />provided 2.36 g/mz (21 Ib/ac or 2.0%) of the reference area total herbaceous production this <br />yeaz. Perennial forbs contributed an average of 0.40 g/mz (4 lb/ac) or 0.4 percent of total <br />herbaceous production. <br />3.1.1.3 Species Composition <br />Within the reference azea four lifeforms were represented; grasses, forbs, succulents, and <br />woody plants. The total number of species encountered during cover sampling within the <br />reference area in 2005 was thirteen. Graminoids accounted for seven species, forbs four <br />species, one succulent, and one shrub species were present. Of the species encountered in the <br />reference area, eleven were native and two were introduced. <br />Perennial species outnumbered annual species by eight to five. Seasonality of the species <br />was dominated by cool season species that accounted for eight species with warm season <br />species contributing three species, and the succulent and shrub showing no seasonal <br />preference. Of the species encountered four represented greater than three percent relative <br />cover; Artemisia filifolia (36.05%), Stipa viridula (26.32%), Bromus tectorum (cheatgrass) <br />(20.00%), and Poa compressa (8.16%). <br /> <br />Coors Energy Company Keenesburg Mine Page ~ 1 <br />2005 Revegetation Monitoring Report <br />