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<br /> <br /> There have been some other interesting changes over the last four years <br />' ~ (Figure 1 and Table 6). Big sagebrush has increased from 1.4 percent <br /> mean cover in 1989 to a high of 7.3 percent in 1996. Russian wildrye has <br /> <br /> increased from 0.2 percent mean cover in 1989 to 15.8 percent mean cover <br />' in 1995. Mean cover for this species was somewhat lower in 1996 with a <br />mean cover of 10.9 percent. Thickspike wheatgrase doubled in mean cover <br />between 1989 and 1990, remained consistent at between 10 - 15 percent in <br />1992, 1993 and 1994, and decreased to 8.4 percent in 1996. Some of <br />' these differences are likely related to sample transect locations rather <br />' than representing major changes in the vegetation. <br /> <br />1 <br />COMMENTS <br />' After eight years of sampling, it appears that the revegetation of <br /> the mined lands at the site is quite successful. Increases in cover by <br />' big sagebrush suggest that, over time, the reclaimed areas, especially <br /> the area reclaimed in 1984 will begin to resemble the surrounding native <br />' sa <br />ebrush ehrublands <br />bi <br /> g <br />. <br />g <br />' Data from 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994 and 1996 suggest that the <br /> reclaimed areas have developed the ability to withstand grazing <br />' pressure. The trespass grazing that occurred in 1991 caused the mean <br /> cover values to be approximately one-third less in 1991. Between 1992 <br />' and 1996, the mean cover values rebounded to levels that were comparable <br /> to those measured in 1990. It is possible that other factors may have <br /> contributed to the lower values in 1991, however most of the differences <br />' were likely related to livestock grazing. <br />1 -~ <br />