Laserfiche WebLink
RULE 2 PERMITS <br />. 1985 production was 1,101 pounds per acre. Woody plant density for sagebrush in 1980 and 1985 was <br />determined to be 6,970 and 4,427 plants per acre, respectively. <br />Based on the supplemental ground cover values above, it would appeaz that the sagebrush community <br />from the Lower Wilson Study Area (63.1%) is denser than the permit-wide sampling of this community <br />from 1980, 1985, and 1988 once herbaceous vs. total plant cover aze factored into the analysis. Most <br />likely, this modest disparity is due to the amount of mesic sagebrush on the Lower Wilson area in <br />comparison to the more dominant xeric sagebrush from the remainder of the current permit area. <br />Aspen Woodland - As indicated on Map 4B, the aspen woodland community within the Study Area <br />occupies 32.63 acres (5.4%) and occurs in only two principal locations. The community exhibits an <br />overstory of aspen (PopuZus tremuloides) with an understory dominated by herbaceous species and a <br />shrub stratum similar to the mountain shrub community. Of particulaz note is that much of the aspen <br />overstory in this community is dead or dying owing most likely to the drought that has occurred in <br />Colorado over the past several years. <br />A total of 46 species were observed within the aspen woodland community with a distribution of 10 <br />grasses, 28 forbs, and 8 shrubs or trees. Average ground cover of vegetation (2005) within the study area <br />was 60.7% with 0% rock, 27.7% litter, and 11.6% baze ground exposure. Dominant species included: <br />Mountain snowberry, blue wildrye (Elymus glaucus), stinging nettle (Urtica gracilis), Mountain brome <br />(Bromus marginatus), nettleleaf giant hyssop (Agastache urticijolia), and bluegrass. The number of <br />perennial herbaceous species exhibiting between 3% and 50% relative cover (composition) was <br />determined to be 3 grasses and 2 forbs. <br />• As indicated on Table 2.04.10-10, in 1988 the herbaceous plant cover of the aspen woodland community <br />was documented to be 73.0% and production was 772 pounds per acre. Woody plant density for aspen <br />woodland in 1988 was determined to be 6,370 plants per acre. Of this total, aspen contributed 435 trees <br />per acre. <br />Based on the supplemental ground cover values above, it would appear that the aspen woodland <br />community from the Lower Wilson Study Area (60.7%) is comparable to the permit-wide sampling of <br />this community from 1988. <br />Juniper Scrub - As indicated on Map 4B, the juniper scrub community within the Study Area occupies <br />only 12.65 acres (2.1 %) and occurs in only two principal locations, both of which are in the northeast part <br />of the study area. The community exhibits an overstory of Utah juniper (Juniperus osteosperma) with an <br />understory dominated by scattered shrubs (typically mountain big sagebrush) and a thin herbaceous <br />stratum. The juniper scrub type typically occurs on the thinnest, most skeletal soils found in the study <br />area. Occasionally, the community occurs without an overstory of juniper owing to. past wildfire. <br />A total of 54 species were observed within the juniper scrub community with a distribution of 11 grasses, <br />32 forbs, and 11 shrubs or trees. Average ground cover of vegetation (2005) within the study area was <br />29.2% with 34.2% rock, 12.2% litter, and 24.4% bare ground exposure. Dominant species included: <br />Montana wheatgrass (Agropyron albicans), Mountain big sagebrush, thrifty goldenweed, prairie <br />junegrass, beardless bluebunch wheatgrass, and fewflower buckwheat (Eriogonum pauciJlorum). The <br />number of perennial herbaceous species exhibiting between 3% and 50% relative cover (composition) <br />was determined to be 3 grasses and 2 forbs. <br />Bouomland - As indicated on Map 4B, the bottomland community within the Study Area occupies 43.46 <br />• acres (7.33%) and occurs in two principal locations. The first of these is along the historic Wilson Creek <br />South Taylor/Lower Wilson -Rule 2, Page 77 Revision Date: 3/30/07 <br />Revision No.: PR-02 <br />