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• 3.1.2 Aspen Shrubland <br /> A much less widespread community type dominated by aspen was Aspen <br /> Shrubland. In the study area, this type was restricted to south—facing slopes <br /> along the Coal Creek drainage, near the existing mine office and shop complex. <br /> Besides a somewhat more open aspen canopy (48 percent cover ) , Aspen Shrubland <br /> areas were characterized by a much denser shrub layer (15 percent cover) and <br /> somewhat different dominant forbs. <br /> Mountain Snowberry provided over half of the total shrub cover, <br /> but other prevalent species included Serviceberry, Gambel Oak Que2cuj <br /> gambe.Z , and Chokecherry. <br /> As in Aspen Woodland, dominant graminoids were Blue Wildrye and <br /> Elk Sedge, which contributed most of the total graminoid cover (8 percent ) . <br /> Forbs contributed 17 percent cover, dominated by Anise Sweetroot , <br /> Bracken Fern !.te/z,i..di..carz aged..!i.num, Cow Parsnip Heltacleurrz 4,ohondy,;Liam ssp. <br /> mon tanum, Wh i tef I ower Peav i ne, Ta l I Fleabane &zigewa e,Cati_v2, and But terweed <br /> Se,zeci.v ae/z ta. <br /> Cover data for Aspen Shrublands are presented in Table 4; Figure 5 <br /> depicts a typical stand. <br /> • Production in Aspen Shrubland averaged 67.9 g/m2, with graminoids <br /> providing 77 percent (52.5 g/m2) . Prevalent individual species were Elk <br /> Sedge (26.5 9/m2) , Blue Wildrye (8.1 g/m2) , Native Bluegrass (7.8 a/m2) , and <br /> Thurber Fescue (6.3 g/m2) . Production data are presented in Table 5. <br /> Mean shrub density in the Aspen Shrubland affected area was <br /> 26,.730/ha with Aountain Snowberry representing about 59 percent of the total <br /> and present in 91 percent of the samples. The remaining shrub densities were <br /> distributed fairly evenly between Chokecherry, Serviceberry, and `Hoods Rose. <br /> Average shrub height was 81 cm. Aspen, which averaged 13 m tall and 20 cm <br /> in diameter, were present in densities of 919/ha. Woody plant data are <br /> presented in Table 6. <br /> 3.1.3 Spruce/Fir Parkland <br /> Spruce/Fir Parkland occurred across a broad elevational range in <br /> the study area, from 8,800 ft on cool north—facing slopes along drainages to <br /> 11,400 ft on east—facing slopes and ridgelines. This unit was variable in <br /> the composition of its understory. Conifer parklands typically consisted of <br /> dense clumps or islands of EngeImann Spruce N-cea engeZmanni1jL' , SubaIpine Fir <br /> ,4b.ieA la4.tvca/zra, and Doug i as—f i t P�jeudo.t,,,uga merL3.1 ejkL interspersed within <br /> open areas dominated by a large variety of shrubs and subshrubs ( ten species) , <br /> graminoids ( twelve species) , and forbs (seventy—five species) . In some areas, <br /> this community occurred on slopes too steep and unstable to support vegetation. <br /> These sites were marked by bare outcrops of sedimentary bedrock or by talus <br /> • and scree slopes. <br /> —10— <br />