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<br />Reference Area Sampling <br />The Mountain Brush and Sagebrush reference areas were sampled to provide data for <br />comparison with reclaimed area data. Cover and production data were collected as they were in <br />the reclaimed areas. <br />Lek Area Sampling <br />1995 sampling included an area of Wadge Reclamation (Seneca II mine) that has been used by <br />sharp-tailed grouse as a lek and three areas to the west of the mine permit area that have <br />historically also been used as leks. Examination of the latter leks was undertaken to ascertain <br />what similarities, if any, could be observed betweeri these "natural" leks and the reclaimed area <br />i <br />that the birds have used. In each lek sample area, two cover transects were established <br />perpendicular to each other (one oriented north to south, the other east to west), crossing at the <br />midpoint of the transects in the center of the lek. Al each meter along the transect, the height of <br />i <br />the top of the vegetation canopy was measured in centimeters and the species measured noted to <br />develop a description of vegetation structure and composition of the lek areas. <br />I <br />Photographic Record I • <br />Within each reclamation and reference area, representative color photographs were taken to <br />document the appearance of the vegetation in 1995! Within each photo, a placard identifies the <br />particular reclamation area being illustrated. I <br />Statistical Methods I <br />Sample adequacy calculations were carried out using the formula as prescribed by CMLRB <br />~ ~ (1988): <br />tp sp <br />Nmin = __ <br />--- - <br />~ I d2 x2 <br />where: ~ <br />t two-tailed t-value with n-1 degrees of freedom <br />i s2 sample variance (based sn_1) ~i <br />i <br />d 0.1 (level of precision or desired detectable reduction) <br />I <br />x =sample mean I <br />~, <br />I I I <br />8' <br />