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' and reclaimed area. Production was at or near peak growth and production for the year for the <br />dominant species. The alkali sagebrush reference area was sampled before the other two <br />' locations due to the possibility of cattle grazing the area. No sign of grazing impact was <br />witnessed during field sampling. <br />1 <br />RESULTS <br />Sampling data are summarized in the tables included in Appendix l3. Results were typical <br />' for upland vegetation types and cover and production appear to be about average (Appendix A, <br />Photographs of the Reclaimed Area and Reference Areas). <br />Cover: <br />' Cover averaged 50 percent for total vegetation cover on the alkali sagebrush reference <br />area, 46 percent for the big sagebrush reference area, and nearly 38 percent for the reclaimed <br />' area. For the alkali sagebrush reference area, litter cover averaged 17 percent and 77 percent <br />for total ground cover. For the big sagebrush reference area, litter cover averaged 20 percent <br />and 70 percent for total ground cover. As a comparison, litter cover on the reclaimed area also <br />1 averaged 20 percent and total ground cover averaged 58 percent. <br />' Alkali Sagebrush Reference Area: <br />Dominant plant lifeforms on the alkali sagebrush vegetation type reference area were the <br />shrubs and perennial grasses, together comprising 85 percent of the total vegetation cover. <br />' Shrubs made up 26.44 percent of the total ground cover and nearly 53 percent of the total <br />vegetation cover (relative cover). Grasses comprised nearly 16 percent of total cover (32 <br />percent relative cover). Major species included two shrub species, alkali sagebrush at nearly 14 <br />percent ground cover and Douglas rabbitbrush at between 10 and 11 percent cover. Two <br />' grasses and two forbs were also important components of this plant community: prairie junegrass <br />(10%), bluetwnch wheatgrass (7%), stonecrop (8%), and hoods phlox (nearly 7%). <br />Big sagebrush Reference Area: <br />Dominant plant lifeforms on the big sagebrush reference area were also shrubs and <br />' grasses, together comprising 78 percent of the total vegetation cover. Shrubs made up over 26 <br />percent of the total ground cover and just over 57 percent of the total vegetation cover. <br />Grasses comprised nearly 12 percent cover (25% relative cover). Major spedes inducted two <br />' shrub spades, big sagebrush at nearly 21 percent cover (45% relative cover) and Douglas <br />rabbitbrush at between 4 and 5 percent cover (nearly 12% relative cover). Three grasses and <br />5 <br />