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• <br />AREA <br />1987 <br />1988 <br />1989 Herbaceous Production (oven-dry Ibs per acre) <br />1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 <br />1997 <br />a~L 1988 2257 1343 2303 2204 2747 2947 2232 3170 2234 2926 <br />Wadge Pasture ---- 3050 2201 2741 2874 3164 3567 2716 4570 3385 --- <br />Mtn. Br. Ret. 651 1126 416 615 724 1147 782 346 965 981 978 <br />Sagebrush Ref. 1372 1212 509 1252 1232 876 1454 1110 1460 1367 1574 <br />From the above data, it is apparent that after a low point in 1989, a recovery in herbaceous <br />production occurred in 1990 and continued or stabilized in 1991. In 1992, reclaimed area <br />herbaceous production in the Mountain Brush Reference Area rose while that of the Sagebrush <br />Reference Area fell, while In 1993 the opposite was observed. In 1994, substantial declines in <br />herbaceous production paralleling observed declines in cover were observed. Variations in <br />herbaceous production in the Mountain Brush Reference Area may reflect year to year random <br />chance of samples falling in the heaviest oak-serviceberry stands, which tend to have relatively <br />little herbaceous production, because of the typically heavily shaded and, consequently, sparse <br />understory. In 1994, as mentioned above, the effects of accidental herbicide exposure may <br />• have reduced herbaceous production also. Based on the observation of a near threefold <br />increase in 1995 that was sustained in 1996, it would appear that any damage from herbicide to <br />herbaceous production had been largely recovered. In 1997, herbaceous production in the <br />Sagebrush Reference Area reached the highest level of the eleven year record, while that of <br />the Mountain Brush Reference Area remained about the same. <br />Herbaceous production data trom 1997 reclaimed area samples show that overall herbaceous <br />production was up from 1996. Values for 1990 reclamation were almost twice the herbaceous <br />production of the highest reference area. 1997 herbaceous production values (comprised of <br />the 1990 reclamation unit only) increased from 1996 by 31 percent; Sagebrush Reference Area <br />herbaceous production increased by 15 percent while in the Mountain Brush Reference Area, <br />the observed herbaceous production decreased by 0.5 percent. The abundant herbaceous <br />production of the reclaimed areas fluctuates more dramatically than that of the reference areas. <br />Thus, in 1995, the increase in herbaceous production related to very favorable conditions was <br />greater in the reclaimed areas than in the reference areas, while in 1996 the decline related to <br />drier conditions was proportionately (and absolutely) greater in the reclaimed areas, and in <br />• 1997, the reclaimed areas increased by twice the amount that the Sagebrush Reference Area <br />15 <br />