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perennial graminoid representation. Specific sampling information for the 2000 reclamation <br />azeas is contained in Tables 4 and 7. <br />3.1.4.1 Vegetation Cover <br />Total vegetation cover of the 2000 reclamation areas was 57.40 percent. Graminoids <br />provided 45.20 percent mean cover (81.79% relative cover) and forbs accounted for 12.20 <br />percent mean cover (18.21 % relative cover). Total cover values were variable between the <br />individual areas within the 2000 reclamation areas. The lowest total vegetation cover of the <br />parcels sampled was found in Area 19 (42%) and the highest cover (68%) was encountered in <br />Area 6. Bromus tectorum was encountered in all cover transects. Calamovilfa longifolia was <br />encountered in 90 percent of all transects, and Helianthus annuus was found in 70 percent of <br />all cover transects. <br />Overall within the 2000 reclamation azeas, two species were co-dominant; Bromus tectorum <br />with contributions of 21.20 percent mean and 30.71 percent relative cover, and Calamovilfa <br />longifolia with 17.80 percent mean and 39.40 percent relative cover. Two additional species <br />contributed significantly to cover, including Helianthus annuus contributing 4.40 percent <br />mean cover and 6.52 percent relative cover, and Ambrosia psilostachya with 3.20 percent <br />mean cover (5.16% relative cover). <br />Vegetative litter (prior years growth, dead wood, and other biologic organic material) <br />comprised 30.80 percent ground cover overall within the 2000 reclamation areas. Baze soil <br />comprised 11.80 percent of the ground cover. No rock or cryptogams were encountered <br />during the cover sampling in the 2000 reclamation areas. <br />3.1.4.2 Herbaceous Production <br />Total herbaceous production within the 2000 reclamation areas was 125.55 g/m2 (1119 <br />lb/ac). <br />3.1.4.3 Species Composition <br />Cover sampling identified two lifeforms and fourteen species within the 2000 reclamation <br />areas. The lifeforms included eight species of perennial grass, one annual grass, one <br />perennial forb, and four annual forbs. Of the species encountered on the 2000 reclamation <br />azeas, nine were native and five were introduced. Perennial species outnumbered annual <br />species by nine to five. Both warm and cool season species contributed to the seasonality of <br />the 2000 reclamation azeas. Warm season graminoids outnumbered cool season graminoids <br />by five to four. Cool season forbs prevailed by four to one. <br />The 2000 reclamation areas had five species contributing greater than three percent relative <br />cover this year. The species contributing greater than three percent relative cover included <br />two perennial grasses, one annual grass, one perennial forb, and one annual forb. These <br />species included Calamovilfa longifolia (39.40%), Bromus tectorum with (30.71%), <br />Helianthus annuus (6.52%), Ambrosia psilostachya (5.16%), and Panicum virgatum <br />(switchgrass) (4.89%). <br />Coors Energy Comparry Keenesburg Mine Page 14 <br />2007 Revegetation Monitoring Report <br />