11 Miss. Code. R. 8-8-2-A-4-IV

Current through December 10, 2024

Section 11-8-8-2-A-4-IV - Sampling Procedures

A. Random Sampling

1. To assure that the samples truly represent the vegetative characteristics of the whole release or reference area, the permittee must use methods that will provide:

a) a random selection of sampling sites,

b) a sampling technique unaffected by the sampler's preference, and

c) sufficient samples to represent the true mean of the vegetation characteristics.

2. Sampling points shall be randomly located by using a grid overlay on a map of the release or reference area and by choosing horizontal and vertical coordinates as described in Addendum A. Each sample point must fall within the release or reference area boundaries and be within an area having the vegetative cover type being measured. Additionally, at least one ground cover sample point must be measured in each noncontiguous unit, if the release area does not consist of a single unit.

3. The permittee shall notify the Office of Geology ten days prior to conducting sampling or other harvesting operations to allow any authorized representative of the Department an opportunity to monitor the sampling procedures.

B. Sampling Techniques

1. Line Point Transect (Ground Cover)

A line point transect shall be a series of 100 points spaced one foot apart along a straight line. The permittee shall establish a transect at each of the randomly selected sampling points. The direction of the transect shall also be determined randomly. This can be done as easily as spinning a pencil on a clipboard or throwing the pencil in the air and using the direction where it points.

Ground cover shall be measured as the area covered by the combined aerial parts of the accepted plant species and the litter that is produced naturally onsite, expressed as a percentage of the total area of measurement. Up to fifteen percent of acceptable cover may be litter from acceptable plant species.

The permittee shall classify the ground cover by species at each 1-foot interval along the entire length of the transect (starting one foot from the random point). The area of measurement shall be a line projected downward and perpendicular to the ground at each one foot interval (100 in total).

At each point along the transect, ground cover shall be classified by species as acceptable or unacceptable as follows, except that as long as there is sufficient cover to adequately control erosion, any volunteer species not on the state and Federal Noxious Weeds List (Addendum T) is acceptable:

Acceptable	Unacceptable
Vegetation approved in permit	Rock or bare ground
Dead vegetation or litter from acceptable species	Vegetation or litter from list in Addendum T

All data gathered from the line point transects shall be recorded in the format shown in Addendum C, Part 2 and summarized in the format shown in Addendum V.

2. Sampling Frames (Productivity)

A sampling frame shall be an enclosure measuring 24" x 11-1/2" capable of enclosing the sample location. A sample location shall be established at each of the randomly chosen sites, such that the center of the sampling frame is the random point. The permittee shall clip the biomass 2" above ground level within the frame. The biomass to be clipped shall be from all plant species growth whose base lies within the sampling frame. This biomass shall then be weighed and recorded. As each frame is clipped and weighed, the biomass shall be put into a bag for oven drying. Samples shall be oven dried to a constant weight and re-weighed to determine dried weight. All data collected from the clippings within the sampling frame shall be recorded in the format presented in Addendum B.

3. Whole Area Harvesting (Productivity)

If whole release area harvesting is chosen as the method for data collection, the entire area or representative test plots shall be harvested and the system as outlined in Addenda O, P, and Q shall be used for data analysis. This entails counting all bales produced on the harvested areas and multiplying this number by the average weight of a randomly selected number of bales. The number of bales to count and weigh for any site would consist of ten percent, or fifteen large round bales, whichever is greater; or ten percent or fifteen small round bales whichever is greater and converted to lbs./ac by taking their average weight and multiplying that figure times the total number of bales, divided by the number of acres harvested.

To determine which bales to weigh, randomly select a number from one to ten then count and weigh every tenth bale thereafter until the minimum number or ten percent of the bales have been weighed. The first and last bale of any noncontiguous field or site should not be weighed. The bales shall be counted, but if the random number falls on either of the two bales mentioned, either advance one bale or select the immediate bale previous to the last bale produced.

C. Representative Test Plots

The permittee may establish and harvest a test plot to prove productivity if it can be demonstrated that the test plot statistically represents the pasture areas in the Phase III release that it is a part of. No representative test plot may represent more than 400 acres.

This can be demonstrated as follows:

Step 1 - Finding Statistically Representative Plots

1. In order for this system to be used, all the pasture areas which are being considered for release must be in grass/legumes.

2. After 12 months have elapsed of the five-year responsibility period, the entire area shall be sampled for hay production using the sample frame procedure (Addendum B). A statistically adequate number of samples must be taken over the entire area, as outlined in Addendum I.

3. Additionally, several subareas of the pasture shall be chosen as possible candidates for the representative test plots. These subareas must consist of a minimum of three plots, no smaller than one acre each and total at least five percent of the entire pasture acres or a combined total of four acres, whichever is greater, of the area for which Phase III release is desired. These areas shall also be sampled using the sample frame method and a statistically adequate number of samples at a 0.1 alpha level.

4. Then, the production of the entire pasture area shall be statistically compared to the chosen subplots using a t-test to determine if the subplots are truly representative of the entire pasture area. If the first chosen subplot fails the test, the next chosen subplot shall be compared, and so on, until the required number of plots are found that have statistically equal production to the entire pasture area. It is suggested that enough subplots be chosen as prospective test plots to guarantee there will be adequate acreage to represent production that is representative of the entire pasture area.

Step 2 - Use of the Test Plots

1. Once statistically representative test plots have been chosen, they shall become the test plots which will represent all the pasture in a particular bond release. At this time, soil series productivity adjustment factors shall be calculated.

2. The test plots and the reference plot must henceforth be managed the same.

3. At harvest, the yields from the test plots shall be compared to the yields from the reference plot to determine if the test plot yields are at least ninety percent of the unmined pasture reference plot yield. The yield data from the test plots and reference plot shall be recorded on a form as outlined in Addenda B or O.

D. Sample Adequacy

Refer to Addenda I and J for sample adequacy.

11 Miss. Code. R. 8-8-2-A-4-IV