DATA ADEQUACY, RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE MONITORING AND ENDANGERED SPECIES 

 DATA ADEQUACY 



The baseline study is thought to be adequate. The 1:4800 vegetation map, 

 for example, represents a very high standard of accuracy, and the classifi- 

 cation goes far beyond the usual effort. Drought and grasshopper damage, 

 however, did influence the data. 



As pointed out in the Section IV-E and Appendix C, the productivity data 

 does not reflect normal conditions unless the effects of grasshoppers are elim- 

 inated from both exclosures and reclaimed land. Also, a much better baseline 

 could be produced from more than two years of productivity data given the year- 

 ly variation in precipitation. The problem of year]y variation in precipitation 

 could, however, be alleviated if both reclaimed land and the exclosures are 

 sampled the same year. 



FUTURE MONITORING OF EXCLOSURES 



The exclosures will be clipped again in the summer of 1978. At that time, 

 coverage estimates and pictures will be taken of certain randomly picked, un- 

 dipped plots. The plots will be excluded from clipping now and in the future. 



The vegetation of the exclosures was chosen for productivity sampling be- 

 cause it typified a community type. A major concern is that the vegetation of 

 the productivity exclosures, which is in some cases serai, will change with 

 time as a result of the exclosures and cease to be indicative of the community 

 type it presently represents. These plots should be re-sampled eyery few years 

 and if a significant change is detected, the appropriate action such as opening 

 the exclosure for grazing by cattle, should be taken to maintain the community 

 initially in the exclosure. Of course, it is imperative that the exclosure be 

 kept free from all unmonitered disturbances. 



FACILITY-RELATED MONITORING 



It is possible that a coal conversion facility will have an impact which 

 is subtle and insidious. Since this baseline study is not adequate for de- 

 tecting subtle changes in communities, species, or individuals resulting from 

 air pollution, the baseline information necessary to detect such an impact 

 will have to be in the form of permanent monitoring stations located in re- 

 lation to the facility with regard to pertinent metereological considerations 

 and the pattern and distribution of plant communities. 



This monitoring will have to evaluate possible impacts at the level of 

 the community (e.g. productivity and species composition), and the species, 

 ecotype, or individual (e.g. phenology, population structure, physiology. 



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