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• Native perennial cool season grasses was the predominant lifeform observed in the 2001 <br />Reclaimed Area, contributing 11.3 percent first-hit vegetation cover. Of this, the majority was <br />western wheatgrass (Pascopyrum smithii) comprising --8 percent of total vegetation cover. <br />Introduced perennial cool season grasses were the second most encountered lifeform with 8.7 <br />percent first-hit cover. Of this, the majority was orchard grass (Dactylis glomerata) comprising <br />-23 percent of total vegetation cover. Introduced annual and biennial forbs contributed 4.7 <br />percent first-hit vegetation cover. Introduced perennial forbs contributed 3.7 percent first-hit <br />vegetation cover. This total was predominantly composed of alfalfa (Medicago sativa). Also <br />observed in the area were musk thistle (Carduus nutans ssp. macrolepis), bull thistle (Cirsium <br />vulgare), houndstongue (Cynoglossum officinale) and Canada thistle (Breea arvensis). <br />Total average vegetation cover for first hits was 36.3 percent. For herbaceous vegetation, total <br />average cover for first hits was also 36.3 percent. Cover by standing dead, litter, bare soil and <br />rock averaged 0.67, 26.0, 32.67 and 4.33 percent, respectively. Average species density was <br />37.7 species per 100 sq. m. <br />PRODUCTION <br />(Table 2) <br />Total herbaceous production in 2007 was 1,204.5 pounds per acre. Of this, 731.6 pounds were <br />native perennial cool season grasses and 262.3 6 pounds were introduced perennial cool season <br />grasses. Five other lifeforms were present at less than 90 pounds per acre. <br />WOODY PLANT DENSITY <br />(Table 3) <br />Total average woody plant density in the 2001 Reclaimed Area was 1,295.0 stems per acre. <br />Bitterbrush (Purshia tridentata) was the densest at 634.2 stems per acre followed by big <br />sagebrush (Seriphidium tridentatum) at 390.9 stems per acre (including 13 stems per acre dead) <br />and mountain snowberry (Symphoricarpos rotundifolius) at 269.9 stems per acre. Chokecherry <br />(Padus virginiana ssp. melanocarpa) was the only other shrub species present with a density of <br />13 stems per acre. <br />0 9