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Cover Sampling <br />Cover data were collected along 50 m transects using a point - intercept method in which data <br />were recorded as interceptions of a point with plant species, litter, standing dead plant material, <br />soil, or rock. Plant material produced during the current growing season and still standing was <br />tallied by species. Litter was considered to be any organic material that had fallen, or had begun <br />to fall to the soil surface. Standing dead was any dead plant material that was produced in <br />previous years but which was still standing and had not lodged or broken off to become litter <br />Inorganic materials greater than 1 cm in diameter were considered rock The cover sampling <br />points were optically projected using a Cover -Point Optical Point Projection Device developed by <br />ESCO Associates. The 50 m transects were randomly located and oriented in the reclaimed and <br />reference areas. One hundred points were collected at each transect and distributed evenly <br />along the transect. A pair of points were collected at each meter mark with points sampled on <br />opposite sides of the transect 0.5 m from the transect. <br />First hit interceptions were used to calculate absolute top layer foliar cover (see COVER column <br />in data tables) by dividing the number of interceptions for a particular species, or ground cover <br />type by the total number of points taken (100). First hit relative vegetation cover was calculated <br />by dividing first hit absolute cover for each species by the total first hit vegetation cover All -layer <br />absolute cover (COVER -ALL column in data tables) was calculated by dividing all hits (first -lilts <br />and additional -hits) for a particular species by the total number of points taken (100) In addition, <br />all -layer relative cover was calculated using all hits for a particular species divided by the total hits <br />accumulated during sampling of the transect. <br />Woody Plant Density Sampling <br />Woody plant density sampling was undertaken in all reclaimed areas sampled but not in the <br />reference areas Samples were collected along 50 m transects. All shrubs and subshrubs with <br />root crowns located within the boundaries of 2 X 50 m quadrats (belt transects) were tallied <br />according to species and life stage as either seedling, mature, or dead. The presence of dead <br />individuals was recorded but did not contribute to woody plant density calculations. <br />Lifeforms Used in Data Presentation <br />To enhance understanding of collected data, all data and summary tables are organized by <br />lifeform Lifeform categories used here reflect growth habit and provenance (place of origin) <br />Categories observed in 2009 were native annual and biennial forbs, introduced annual and <br />biennial forbs, introduced annual grasses, native perennial (orbs, introduced perennial forbs, <br />native perennial grasses and graminoids, introduced perennial grasses, native shrubs, native <br />trees, ferns (and fern allies), lichens, bryophytes (mosses) and mushrooms <br />FA <br />