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Douglas Rabbitbrush, Wyoming Big Sagebrush and Rubber Rabbitbrush were the dominant <br />shrubs found growing on this reclaimed site. The revegetation shrub density success standard <br />for this area at the time of final bond release is 1,500 stems per acre or 37.06 stems per 100 mz. <br />Since this site averaged 2,936.9 shrubs per acre or nearly twice the success standard, it can be <br />concluded by direct comparison, that the 1999 Reclamation site, satisfies the final revegetation <br />success standard with respect to shrub density. <br />When 1ME sampled this site in 2005, they reported that shrub density averaged 36.30 shrubs per <br />one hundred square meters or 1,358.6 shrubs per acre. These monitoring data confirm the trends <br />that native plants and shrubs are continuing to increase on this site overtime. <br />The locations of the 30 shrub density transects sampled on this site are shown on Map 2, 1999 <br />Reclamation - Vegetation Transect Location Map. Examination of the sample adequacy <br />calculations in Table 2, Kerr Mine Sample Adequacy Calculations, reveals the number of <br />transects required to characterize this site with respect to shrub density at the 90 percent <br />statistical confidence interval was 103.9 transects. <br />Species Diversity. The percent relative composition or cover values in Table 5, 1999 <br />Reclamation - Plant Cover, documents that the four most dominant plant species growing on this <br />reclaimed site account for 89.43 percent of the total relative cover found on this site, which is <br />slightly above the maximum value of 83 percent relative plant cover allowed by the Permit. <br />However, it is believed as the historic revegetation monitoring data from this site document, that <br />with time the large contribution of cover contributed by Russian Wildrye will decrease. <br />The single most dominant plant species was Russian Wildrye which contributed 61.87 percent of <br />the total relative cover found on this site, more than the 40 percent maximum value allowed by a <br />single species. These revegetation monitoring data suggest that the species diversity standards <br />required for final bond release have not been satisfied for this reclaimed site, however, more <br />discussion on this matter is found in the Conclusions Section of this report. <br />TIPPLE REFERENCE AREA <br />Plant Cover, The results obtained from the 15 randomized cover transects sampled on this site <br />in 2005 are found in "fable 8, Tipple Reference Area - Plant Cover. 't'otal plant cover on this site <br />averaged 26.60 percent and litter averaged 18.80 percent (Table 8, Tipple Reference Area - Plant <br />Cover.) <br />Shrubs and subshrubs were the most dominant plant life form on this site contributing 12.73 <br />percent of the total cover or 47.87 percent of the total relative cover on this reference area.. <br />Perennial forbs were the second most dominant plant life form and contributed a total of 9.47 <br />percent or 35.59 percent of the total relative cover on this site. Perennial grasses were the least <br />dominant plant life form and contributed a total of 4.40 percent of the total cover and 16.54 <br />percent of the total relative cover on this site. <br />Carpet Phlox was the dominant plant species growing on this site, contributing a total of 6.47 <br />9