2010-08-10_REVISION - C1981008 (5)

Home Browse Search

and New Horizon Mine 11 study area to the south. Soil is similar to study area soil map unit 98C and the vegetation is similar to the sagebrush -1 (SG -1) in the study area. Total vegetation cover (first hit) for the type averaged 36.0 percent, with bare ground at 32.5 percent, litter at 19.9 percent, and rock outcrop and rock fragments at 11.6 percent (Table 2.04.10 -27). Lichen and moss accounted for 4.6 percent of the mean cover. The shrub component dominated with 14.4 percent cover followed by the perennial grass component at 11.9 percent cover. Annual grasses account for 4.1 and 2.6 percent cover. Succulents had 0.1 percent cover and trees had 0.9 percent cover. Consistent with the type designation, sagebrush (Artemisia tridentate) had the highest perennial shrub species cover at 12.2 percent (68 percent frequency), followed by broom snakeweed with cover at 1.9 percent (8 percent frequency). The perennial grass blue grama had 7.4 percent cover (33 percent frequency) and needlegrass with Table 2.04.10 -27 Mean Cover (percent) And Frequency Values For Sagebrush Reference Area, New Horizon 2 Permit Expansion Study Area, 1999 SPECIES MEAN PERCENT COVER (N =75) FREQUENCY Annual Grasses Anisantha tectorum 4.1 22 Total Annual Grasses 4.1 -- Perennial Grasses Bouteloua gracilis 7.4 33 Hilaria jamesii 0.5 03 Oryzopsis hymenoides 0.1 01 Sitanion longifolium 0.9 06 Stipa neomexicana 2_9 9 Total Perennial Grasses 11.7 -- Shrubs Artemisia tridentata 12.2 29 Atriplex canescens 0.4 01 Gutierrezia sarothrae 1.9 08 Total Shrubs 14.4 -- (Revised July 2010) 2.04.10 -85