2011-06-02_APPLICATION CORRESPONDENCE - C2010089 (14)

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• Each observation was recorded as to the specific plant species encountered as the sharpened rod was dropped. If no plant cover was encountered, then the observation was recorded as to the presence of plant litter, rock, bare ground, lichens or cryptograms. Plant material produced in the 2010 growing season which was still attached to the plant was considered as living plant material and the dead plant material which had fallen to the ground was considered to be litter. The 100 data points collected along each transect were then summarized into a single datum for purposes of statistical analysis. Absolute and relative plant cover, species diversity, and plant life forms were determined based upon the observations collected in sampling the plant cover. As discussed in the revegetation section found in the North Mine Permit Application, the proposed plant cover revegetation success standard is based on an allowable cover standard, which means that all plant cover excluding annual and biennial plant and listed noxious weeds are sampled but are not counted toward the cover standard. For each vegetation type sampled for plant cover, a minimum of 15 cover transects were used for sample adequacy calculations. Production. Along the transect alignment described for plant cover, three randomly located circular one - quarter square meter plots were clipped along each vegetation transect line. These plots were clipped by life forms for perennial grasses and perennial forbs. As found in the requirements of Section 4.15.11, shrub, subshrubs, annuals and noxious weeds were not clipped, since they cannot count toward the proposed revegetation production success standard. The production samples were taken along the same transect used for cover and shrub density sampling. The three clip plots were then averaged into a single transect datum for purposes of statistical analysis. For each area sampled, a minimum of 30 production transects were used for sample adequacy calculations. Following clipping, the harvested plant materials were dried in a drying oven at 105 degrees C until a constant weight was obtained. Shrub Density. Starting at each of the transect locations described above for the cover sampling, the fifty -meter tape was laid out along a predetermined and randomly selected alignment. Woody stem density was determined using the center of the tape as a modified belt transect. The right - hand side of the transect was called Side A and the left-hand side of the tape was called Side B. Data collected from each side of the tape were added into a transect value which represents the number of shrubs sampled in the 100 m sample plot. These data are reported in the Results Section as to the number of shrubs per 100 m as well as the number of shrubs per acre as outlined in the Permit. Woody plants having a single stem, such as Big Sagebrush, were considered to constitute one living plant. Plants having multiple stems, such as Sandbar Willow and other species were difficult to distinguish as to the boundaries of individual plants, so in these instances, plant density counts were made on the basis of plant clumps. Species Diversity. The plant cover data collected at each cover sample transect yielded data relative to absolute cover. These cover data were then converted into percent composition or relative plant cover by species based upon the total amount of plant cover encountered in each sample transect. The relative importance values of plants growing on the reclaimed areas as outlined in the Permit Application, contains st'ndards as to the number of perennial grass species growing on the reclaimed areas to ensure that a monoculture of a single plant or a few plants does not dominate the reclaimed areas.