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NOTES ON THE COMPARISON OF DATA TO APPLICABLE REFERENCE AREA STANDARDS <br />Upon the formal comparison of cover data from reclaimed areas to applicable performance <br />standards, observed total first-hit herbaceous cover percentage must be adjusted for excessive <br />contribution by annual /biennial species (CDMG 1995, Guidelines Regarding Selected Coal Mine <br />Bond Release I:~sues, 1 (IV)A(4)). For purposes of assessment of reclamation adequacy, first-hit <br />herbaceous cover data from reference area sampling are DOUBLED as per~eneca II Mine <br />permit provisions. <br />Formal comparison of production data likewise requires that they be adjusted for excessive <br />contribution of annual /biennial species. Herbaceous cover or production values- used in such <br />comparisons also must exclude values for species present on the Routt County Prohibited or <br />Restricted Noxious list or that are listed as noxious by the State of Colorado (Colorado Dept. of <br />Agriculture, Division of Plant Industry, Title 35, Article 5.5, 101-119, Lists A and B of Rules as <br />replaced 2003). <br />Species Diversity <br />For purposes of assessment of progress toward bond release standards, species diversity is <br />judged using the following four tests present in the provisions of the permit; success is <br />demonstrated by passing the first (A) at least two of the remaining three (B, C, and D). <br />Mandatory Tent A): No Overwhelming Dominant <br />No single plant species may exceed 60% relative cover. <br />Alternative Te:~t B): Total Species Density Test <br />In this test, overall reclamation diversity standard is judged based on the species density values <br />observed along with cover sampling in 100 sq.m. sample plots. Species density numbers are <br />subjected to sample adequacy assessment in the usual manner. <br />For purpose of establishing the range of species density within the reference areas, the 75% <br />range of variation is established as: <br />zxs <br />Where: <br />z =the number of standard deviations (both ways from the mean) encompassing 75% of <br />the normal distribution (= 1.15; see Rohlf and Sokal 1969, Table P) <br />s = standard deviation (n-1) <br />5 <br />