2010-04-05_REPORT - C1982057 (3)

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Cover Sampling • Cover data were collected along 50 m transects using a point-intercept method in which data were recorded as interceptions of a point with plant species, litter, standing dead plant material, soil, or rock. Plant material produced during the current growing season and still standing was tallied by species. Litter was considered to be any organic material that had fallen, or had begun to fall to the soil surface. Standing dead was any dead plant material that was produced in previous years but which was still standing and had not lodged or broken off to become litter. Inorganic materials greater than 1 cm in diameter were considered rock. The cover sampling points were optically projected using a Cover-Point Optical Point Projection Device developed by ESCO Associates. The 50 m transects were randomly located and oriented in the reclaimed and reference areas. One hundred points were collected at each transect and distributed evenly along the transect. A pair of points were collected at each meter mark with points sampled on opposite sides of the transect 0.5 m from the transect. First hit interceptions were used to calculate absolute top layer foliar cover (see COVER column in data tables) by dividing the number of interceptions for a particular species, or ground cover type by the total number of points taken (100). First hit relative vegetation cover was calculated by dividing first hit absolute cover for each species by the total first hit vegetation cover. All-layer absolute cover (COVER-ALL column in data tables) was calculated by dividing all hits (first-hits • and additional-hits) for a particular species by the total number of points taken (100). In addition, all-layer relative cover was calculated using all hits for a particular species divided by the total hits accumulated during sampling of the transect. Woody Plant Density Sampling Woody plant density sampling was undertaken in all reclaimed areas sampled but not in the reference areas. Samples were collected along 50 m transects. All shrubs and subshrubs with root crowns located within the boundaries of 2 X 50 m quadrats (belt transects) were tallied according to species and life stage as either seedling, mature, or dead. The presence of dead individuals was recorded but did not contribute to woody plant density calculations. Lifeforms Used in Data Presentation To enhance understanding of collected data, all data and summary tables are organized by lifeform. Lifeform categories used here reflect growth habit and provenance (place of origin). Categories observed in 2009 were: native annual and biennial forbs, introduced annual and biennial (orbs, introduced annual grasses, native perennial forbs, introduced perennial forbs, native perennial grasses and graminoids, introduced perennial grasses, native shrubs, native trees, ferns (and fern allies), lichens, bryophytes (mosses) and mushrooms. 2