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observed. This may relate to the more rapid expression of response to the severity of <br />• the year 2000 coincidence of extreme dryness and warmth. Over the period of record, it <br />has been often observed that the response of the Sagebrush Reference Area to <br />fluctuations in climate is more immediate than what is seen in the Mountain Brush <br />Reference Area where a delay of one year is typical. <br />Herbaceous Production <br />ARUA 1987 1986 1989 <br />1985 Recl. 2170' 1173 <br />1998 Refl. ---- ---- ---- <br />Wedge Past. ---- 3050 2201 <br />ALL 1988 2257 1343 <br />Mt. Br. Ref. 651 1126 416 <br />Sgbr. Ref. 1372 1212 509 <br />Herbaceous Production (oven-dry Ibs per acre) <br />1990 <br />2741 <br />2303 <br />615 <br />1252 <br />1991 <br />2974 <br />2204 <br />724 <br />1232 <br />1992 1993 1994 <br />2363` --- ---- <br />3164 3567 2716 <br />2747 2947 2232 <br />1147 782 346 <br />676 1454 1110 <br />1995 <br />4570 <br />3170 <br />965 <br />1460 <br />1996 <br />3385 <br />2234 <br />961 <br />1367 <br />1997 1998 1999 2000 <br />__- _--- ---.- 1063 <br />_____ _____ _____ 764 <br />_-_-. 4220 ..-._ _____ <br />292fi 2609 0 917 <br />978 1115 1122 341 <br />1574 1720 1752 632 <br />Averge of all reclaimed areas sampled in a particular year, the numbers and ages of areas sampled <br />have vadetl over the years. <br />° Average of Areas C and D <br />° Average of Areas E and G <br />`Average of 1965 Wedge antl Wolf Creek Reclaimed Areas <br />• <br />From the above compilation, it can be seen that the production levels in 2000 were <br />among the lowest observed over the 14-year record. In the 1985 Reclaimed Areas, year <br />2000 production of 1069 Ib/ac was less than that observed in 1989, another very dry <br />year (Figure 9b) that, though cool (Figure 10) was the third of five very dry years in <br />succession. Nonetheless, 1069 Ib/ac substantially exceeds the herbaceous production <br />of either of the reference areas. The very young 1998 Reclaimed areas also exceed the <br />reference areas in production although by a smaller margin.. Although the reclaimed <br />area production levels were lower than most often has been the case over the years, the <br />reference area production levels have varied in similar proportion. For example, in 1992 <br />(a relatively wet year), the 1985 Reclaimed Area's production of 2363 Ib/ac was 235% of <br />the reference area average, while in 2000, the 1985 Reclamation sampling showed a <br />production level of 1069 Ib/ac (greatly reduced from 1992 because of dry conditions) <br />which was 220% of the reference area average. <br />• <br />