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L <br />YEAR (cont'd) % of Herb. Prod Provided by Alfalfa Absolute Percent Cover b~ Ifalfa • <br />1993 44.4 27. 3 <br />1994 34.9 21. 3 <br />1995 30.4 32. 6 <br />1996 41.2 30. 3 <br />Although there has been variation up and down in the relative proportion of alfalfa in the Wadge <br />Pasture, the absolute cover by alfalfa had, by 1994 dropped to approximately two-thirds of the <br />1988 level. In 1995, however, this very deep-rooted species had increased to 32.6 percent <br />cover before declining to 30.3 percent cover in 1996. The deep rooting of this plant probably <br />confers an advantage that makes it such a successful and long-lasting competitor. The Wadge <br />Pasture has been grazed at moderate rates in the latter half of the growing season every year <br />since 1988. It includes reclamation established in various years and iri which alfalfa is more <br />or less abundant. Chance placement of random samples may have affected apparent alfalfa <br />composition from year to year. <br />Shrub Density <br />Figure 3 graphically presents shrub density totals for reclaimed areas sampled in 1996. As <br />can be seen, the highest densities were observed in the PECOCO Pasture reclaimed area. The <br />Wadge Pasture area also had high densities; as has been the case in several previous years. <br />Review of 1985 through 1996 sampling data for the Seneca II Mine shows the following <br />documented average shrub density by year: <br />Sampling Year Stems /acre <br /> <br />1985 378 <br />1987 300 <br />1988 314 <br />1989 288 <br />1990 281 <br />1991 228 <br />1992 157 <br />1993 253 <br />1994 234 <br /> <br /> <br />