Releve Virginia Division of Natural Heritage, see http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/natural_heritage/documents/nh_plotform_instructions.pdf
Overall Taxon Cover Values are Automatically Calculated?
no
Plot Quality Fields:
Plot Validation Level
(2) classification plot: sufficient for inclusion in a classification revision
Overall Plot Vegetation Fields:
Field Height
6
m
Field Cover
60
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
Plot is located in the southwestern corner of Bethel Beach NAP. South of SR 609 the vegetation is overwhelmingly dominated by Juncus roemerianus, but along the southern edge of the preserve it grades into low marsh containing Spartina spp. and Distichlis spicata. The widest portion (ca. 100 m) of this zone supports the typical Distichlis - Spartina patens "high salt marsh" type. Robust Spartina alterniflora, however, forms a very narrow (ca. 1 m) fringe along interior tidal channels and the edge of the bay. In apparently lower, wetter areas Distichlis and S. alterniflora co-occur with very little S. patens. In this plot S. alterniflora is somewhat more abundant, at least visually. Debris is common in this zone, as are snails (Littoralis?) on S. alterniflora culms. As is characteristic of these two species, most culms of S. alterniflora and nearly all of Distichlis are sterile. Water depth measured at 7 and 17 cm at corners 1 and 4, respectively, at 12:00 PM. One individual of Salicornia sp. located just outside plot.
