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1 <br /> <br />clear that, on the basis of general observations made within the area, <br />' big sagebruah in becomin <br />more abundant <br /> g <br />. <br /> Summaries for mean cover for the years 1489-1995 for each of the <br /> reclaimed areas and for the two areas combined are presented in Tables <br /> 2, 4 and 6, respectively. When examining these data it ie important to <br /> ~` <br />recognize that in~99i~the area was accidentally grazed by cattle prior <br />' to the time when the cover data were obtained. For the area seeded in <br /> 1984 (Table 2), there has been a high level of consistency among the <br /> five years of data collection. Mean total vegetation cover has remained <br />' close to 25-30 percent, except in 1991 when the site was grazed. The <br /> vegetation ie mostly dominated by native cool season perennial grasses <br />' and big sagebruah (Table 2). In general, increases in cover by big <br /> sagebruah have been somewhat offset by Blight decreases in cover by cool <br />' <br /> season perennial grasses. This decline has continued through the last <br /> two growing seasons. Between 1993 and 1994 mean cover by cool season <br />perennial grasses decreased from 13.7 percent in 1993 to 7.7 percent in <br />1994 and to 6.3 percent in 1995. During this same time period, big <br />sagebruah increased from 8 percent in 1993 to 20 percent in 1994 and <br />17.3 percent in 1995. <br />The area seeded in 1988 currently has higher mean cover values for <br />both native and introduced perennial grasses than the 1984 areas. Cover <br />' by big sagebrush ie still quite low in the 1988 areas and had a mean <br />cover value of 1.6 percent in 1995. <br />' The mean total vegetation cover data for the two areas combined <br />' suggest that following the initial year of sampling when mean total <br />vegetation cover was 18.4 percent, the cover has increased to <br />' approximately 30 percent (the value obtained in 1990, 1992 and 1993). <br />' -4- <br />