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in the reclaimed and reference areas. One hundred points were collected at each transect and <br />• distributed evenly along the transect. A pair of points were collected at each meter mark with <br />points sampled on opposite sides of the transect 0.5 m from the transect. <br />First hit interceptions were used to calculate absolute top layer foliar cover (see COVER column <br />in data tables) by dividing the number of interceptions for a particular species, or ground cover <br />type by the total number of points taken (100). First hit relative vegetation cover was calculated <br />by dividing first hit absolute cover for each species by the total first hit vegetation cover. All-layer <br />absolute cover (COVER-ALL column in data tables) was calculated by dividing all hits (first-hits <br />and additional-hits) for a particular species by the total number of points taken (100). In addition, <br />all-layer relative cover was calculated using all hits for a particular species divided by the total hits <br />accumulated during sampling of the transect. <br />Herbaceous Production Sampling <br />Herbaceous production sampling was accomplished in the 2001, 2004, and 2006 reclaimed areas <br />and in the Aspen, Haul Road, Mountain Brush, Sagebrush/Snowberry, and Steep Mountain Brush <br />Reference Areas using one-half square meter (0.5 m2) circular plots within which all herbaceous <br />growth in a vertical projection was removed by clipping, separated by lifeform and placed in <br />labeled paper bags. Lichens, mosses, and woody plant species present in the sample plot were <br />• not collected. Clipped plants were grouped into the following life forms as they were bagged: <br />- Native Annual / Biennial Forbs - Introduced Annual / Biennial Forbs <br />- Native Annual Grasses - Introduced Annual Grasses <br />- Native Perennial Forbs - Introduced Perennial Forbs <br />- Native Perennial Grasses & Grasslikes- Introduced Perennial Graminoids <br />Clipped material was returned to the ESCO laboratory and dried at 105 °C for 24 hours, then <br />weighed to the nearest 0.1 gm. <br />Woody Plant Density Sampling <br />Woody plant density sampling was undertaken in the reclaimed and shrub concentration areas <br />but did not occur in the reference areas. Woody plant density samples were collected along 50 m <br />transects. All shrubs and subshrubs with root crowns located within the boundaries of 2 X 50 m <br />quadrats (belt transects) were tallied according to species and life stages as either seedling, <br />mature, or dead. The presence of dead individuals was recorded but did not contribute to woody <br />plant density calculations. Woody plant concentration area sample locations sampled at the Yoast <br />Mine in 2008 are shown on Map 5, "2008 Woody Plant Concentration Area Sample Locations". <br />• <br />2