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3.0 RESULTS <br />3.1 Phase II Summary <br />A total of 36 plant species (Table A -1) were observed within the Phase II Bond Release area <br />evaluated in 2006 (see Plates 1 and 2). This area contains all or part of 41 revegetated units. Plants <br />observed consisted of 15 grass taxa, 18 forbs, and 3 shrubs (see Table A -1 in Appendix A). Among these <br />taxa is the invasive weed cheatgrass, existing as multiple and sometimes sizeable patches. Ground cover <br />in the Phase II Bond Release area (Table 1 and Chart 1) consisted of 43.4% live vegetation, 0.7% rock, <br />44.3% litter, and bare soil exposure of 11.6 %. Perennial cover across the unit averaged 31.5% (72.5% <br />relative cover) with annual and biennial cover averaging 11.9% (27.5% relative cover). Dominant taxa <br />were cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum), Siberian wheatgrass (Agropyron sitericum), thickspike wheatgrass <br />(Agropyron dasystachyum), and milkvetch (Astraga /us sp.) with 9.3 %, 5.7 %, 5.4 %, and 4.5% average <br />cover, respectively. <br />3.2 Reference Areas <br />3.2.1 Mountain Shrub Reference Area <br />The Mountain Shrub Reference Area is comprised of approximately 18 acres of gently to <br />moderately sloping vegetation that has a predominately northwesterly aspect (mesic) and easterly aspect <br />(xeric) (see Plate 3). The Mountain Shrub Reference Area was expanded in 2006 to include the xeric <br />subtype of Mountain Shrub. The purpose of this expansion to include the xeric subtype was to provide a <br />better representation of the distribution of Mountain Shrub communities located on and around Colowyo <br />Coal Co.'s property. This reference area was originally established in 1980 and is located on a ridge west <br />of the West Pit Area (see Map 2). A total of 19 plant taxa were observed in this reference area (see <br />Table A -1). Ground cover in the Mountain Shrub Reference Area (Table 1 and Chart 1) consisted of <br />39.9% live vegetation, 0.9% rock, 48.9% litter, and bare soil exposure of 10.2 %. Perennial cover across <br />the unit averaged 39.9% (99.8% relative cover) with annual and biennial cover averaging 0.1% (0.2% <br />relative cover). Dominant taxa were bluegrass (Poa agasizensis), Wyoming big sagebrush, slender <br />wheatgrass, Letterman needlegrass (Stipa iettermanii), and mountain snowberry (Symphoricarpos <br />oreophi /us) with 11.7 %, 5.2 %, 5.0 %, 4.5 %, and 4.5% average cover, respectively. With regard to <br />diversity, the Mountain Shrub Reference Area exhibited 5 perennial grasses and no perennial forbs with <br />between 3% and 50% relative cover. <br />CEDAR Q CREEK ASSOCIATES, INC. Page 9 Colowyo Coal Co. Phase 11 Evaluation <br />