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As can be seen in Figure 1 a, the mean allowable total "all hit" herbaceous cover observed in the <br />2003 Reclaimed Area exceeded 90 percent of the standard set by the reference areas. The very <br />young (two-year old) 2005 Reclamation fell short of the standard of allowable cover. In 2005 <br />when the two-year old (then) 2003 Reclamation was sampled, the allowable cover was 21.9% in <br />the reclaimed and 90% of the standard was 28.2%. This pattern has been observed previously; <br />two-year old revegetation is still developing and hence a situation in which the allowable cover of <br />two-year old reclamation does not reach 90% of the Phase III standard is not necessarily <br />indicative of a problem. <br />Inasmuch as the 2003 Reclaimed Areas at the Seneca IIW Mine were also sampled in 2005, a <br />year that was above average in moisture, it is interesting to observe the changes in cover values <br />between 2005 and 2007. 2007 was a year that was much below average in moisture (Figures 6b, <br />7b and 8b) especially in the period of the previous four to six months (Figures 7b and 8b). Total <br />relative cover by annuals fell between 2005 and 2007 from nearly 50% to only 13% despite the <br />dry and stressful conditions of both the 2006 and 2007 growing seasons (Figure 6b). Likewise, <br />native perennial forbs more than doubled in cover over the period and native perennial cool <br />season grass cover rose by a factor of 2.5. Shrub cover rose from immeasurably low in 2005 to <br />0.6% in 2007. Overall cover by introduced perennial cool season grasses was more or less <br />steady, but the smooth brome that had comprised the bulk of this lifeform in 2005 had dwindled <br />while orchardgrass made up the difference. Total species density rose from 33.1 species per 100 <br />sq.m. in 2005 to 36.9 species per 100 sq.m. in 2007. <br />These observations document the ability of these young plant communities to progress toward <br />greater native plant composition and diversity even during dry and seemingly unfavorable years. <br />• <br />Herbaceous Production <br />Observed production values and derivation of the 2007 herbaceous production standard are <br />compiled /documented in the table below: <br />Seneca IIW 2007 <br /> <br />Vegetation Type Mean Herbaceous Production <br />(Ib/ac) % of Affected Area <br />Sagebrush/Snowberrys 897 31.3 <br />Mountain Brushy 648 34.5 <br />Aspen Woodlands 1476 11.0 <br />Steep Mountain Brush 473 12.8 <br />Alkali Sage/West Whtgrs. 716 10.4 <br />2003 Reclamation Area 1196 NA <br />2005 Reclamation Area 1045 NA <br />12 <br />