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1 <br />1 <br /> Woody plant cover was consistent at 1.2Jo total cover for the two shallower soil depth <br />' treatments, while woody plants were not present in the 24" treatment depth plot. <br /> As in the other Test Plots, Bromus japonicus/tectorum predominated in Test Plot 3 with <br />' cover values increasing from 26.4% (6" treatment) to 42.4% (24" treatment). Elymus <br /> junceus was present in all treatments, increasing in cover with increasing soil depth <br />' (0.8%, 2.4Jo, 5.6%), and representing perennial graminoids preferring a more mesic <br />moisture regime. Annual fort cover in the 24" treatment plot was the highest of any <br /> treatments in the Test Plots. Again, this may testify to the favorable moisture regime <br /> of Test Plot 3. Woody plants found the Test Plot 3 environment less favorable. <br />' Atriplex conkrtifo/ia was represented only in the 6" and 12" treatments with low cover <br /> (1.230 in each) and absent from the 24" treatment. <br /> f <br />i <br /> Cover values in the North and South Areas approx <br />mated those o <br />the closest Test Plot <br /> (with a 6" soil depth) in terms of aspect. The North Area, having a more <br />' northwesterly aspect, had cover values approaching those of Test Plot 3. The South <br /> Area with a west facing aspect, more closely resembled the character of Test Plot 2. <br /> Bromus japonicus/tectorum was the cover dominant in both areas. Perennial grasses in <br />' the North Area included Elymus junceus, absent from the South Area. Only one <br /> perennial grass, .~ropyron cristatum, was present in the South Area. South Area <br />' annual forb cover at 1.2Jo was half the value of the Test Plot 2 6" treatment. North <br />Area annual forb cover was twice that of the Test Plot 3 6" treatment. No woody <br /> species were present in the North Area cover sampling, while woody plants accounted <br /> for 8.8% total cover in the South Area. Atriplex canescens, Atriplex confertifolia, and <br />' Chrysothamnus vicidit]orus were the xeric woody species present. Species cover values <br /> closely approximated those of the corresponding 6" treatment plots in the respective <br /> Test Plots. Both the North and South Areas have six inches of topsoil covering the <br /> coal refuse, so these azeas similarities to the respective 6" treatments is not unexpected. <br />' The Shadscale Shrubland Reference Area had representatives of four lifeforms <br /> providing cover (Table 27). Total cover was dominated by Bromus japonicus/tectorum <br /> as in the Test Plots and North and South Areas. Interestingly, in the Reference Area <br /> this annual grass accounted for 80.4210 of the relative cover, higher than all areas <br /> sampled with the exception of the Test Plot 3 6" and 12" treatments (83.13% and <br />' 81.49Jo respectively). Only one perennial grass was encountered during cover <br />sampling, Hilaria jamesii providing 1.430 mean and 3.73b relative cover. The same <br /> annual forb species present on the Test Plots were also present on the Reference Area. <br /> Succulents in the form of the cactus, Opuntia polyacantha provided minor cover <br />(0.2%). Woody plants provided the most cover after graminoids on the Reference <br /> Area. Atriplex confertifo/ia, was the dominant woody plant. Two other species found <br />' only on the Reference Area, Atripiex obovata and Sphaeralcea coccmea, accounted for <br /> additional cover. <br />50 <br />