2008-03-27_REPORT - C1980005 (3)

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Total average vegetation cover for first hits was 63.3 percent. For herbaceous vegetation, total average cover for first hits was 39.9 percent. Cover by standing dead, litter, bare soil and rock averaged 5.2, 1 fi.7, 15.8 and 0 percent respective-y. Average species density was 33.9 species per 100sq. m. PRODUCTION (Table 10) Total herbaceous production in 2007 was 1,149.1 pounds per acre. Native perennial cool season grasses and nalive perennial forbs and were the biggest producers, contributing 679.9 and 449.7 pounds per acre:, respectively. DISCUSSION Climatic Con~~litions During the twelve months preceding July 2007 sampling, a dry winter and spring limited total moisture input pit the site (Figure 6b). Due to a very wet August, September, and October 2006, the total for the 12 months preceding sampling (Figure 7b) is only slightly below average. But in the context of ttie six orfour-months preceding sampling (Figures 8b and 9b, respectively) it is clear that 2007 was one of the very driest in the past twenty years. Fortunately for the vegetation, 2007 was a nesir average year as regards temperature (Figure 10). Cover Calculation of 90 percent of the cover performance standard appropriate for 2007 sampling is demonstrated below. Mountain Brusli Reference Area herbaceous cover" = 15.9 x 2 = 31.8 Sagebrush Reference Area herbaceous cover" = 40.0 x 2 = 80.0 90 percent of tt~e Cover Standard = 0.90 [0.83(31.8) + 0.17(80.04)] = 36.0% * Herbaceous cover adjusted by subtracting noxious weeds if any and annual plant cover in excess of 10% of the remainder. As can be seen in Figure 1, allowable cover in the areas of two-year old and four-year old reclamation sampled in 2007 demonstrate that the vegetation is still developing. The four-year old (2003) reclamation did manage to reach 90% of the standard at the upper end of its confidence limit. The youngest (two-year old 2005) area did not manage that. This is a pattern 12