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with alfalfa hay (Medicago sativa) during the 1979 growing season and har- <br />vested during the late mummer. Although harvest records were not available for <br />this site, similar dry land alfalfa fields in this area of Colorado produce <br />between 2000 and 3000 lbs dry weight alfalfa per acre per year (personal <br />communication, 1979, Mr. Thomas Darcy, Agricultural Extension Agent, Montrose, <br />Colorado). <br />Juniper vegetation type. The juniper community, characterized by Utah <br />juniper trees (Juniperus osteosperma), comprises 1.80 acres on the study area. <br />This type is actually an agricultural sub -type as the herbaceous understory <br />is alfalfa hay meadow. Juniper trees within this agricultural area were <br />well scattered and thus, do not appear to have any affect on the production <br />and species composition of the understory vegetation which is an alfalfa <br />field. Tree density is 45.7 trees /acre (a total of 59 trees occur within <br />the type) and basal area averages 737.10 cm All trees are Utah juniper. <br />This juniper area represents scattered individual trees in an alfalfa field. <br />(Mariah Associates 1979). <br />Riparian vegetation type. The riparian type comprises 1.93 acres or 1.7% <br />of the total study area. The type occurs along an irrigation ditch and <br />consists of a small community of common cattail (Typha latifolia) , baltic- <br />rush (Juncos balticus), and longstem spikerush (Eleocharis macrostachya) and <br />a small tree community. The tree community consists of 11 Chinese elm <br />(Lanus parviflora), 13 narrowleaf cottonwood (Popu].us angustifolia,) and 3 <br />plains cottonwood (Populus sargentii). Total density is 14.5 tress /acre <br />while average basal area is 303.29 cm Quantitative cover or production <br />estimates were not made for this type ( Mariah Associates 1979?. <br />WILDLIFE <br />Data gathered during 1979 -1980 wildlife studies at Nucla Mine and site <br />specific information found in the literature are discussed by major wildlife <br />components below. A list of vertebrate species positively indentified for <br />-18- <br />JUN 4980 <br />