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:
Tree Height
31
m
Shrub Height
5
m
Field Height
5
m
Tree Cover
80
%
Shrub Cover
15
%
Field Cover
40
%
Nonvascular Cover
1
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
Directions to plot and tree tag:
Park on Rt 43 eastbound where there is a little pull-off that has a large manhole next to a stream. Walk along the stream for about 70m, then head west up the slope for 80m.Tagged tree is a Quercus rubra of 62 cm dbh with tag #407. Conduit is at a bearing of 79 degrees and 5 m from tree.
Plot location was pre-selected by the project's stratified random sampling design.
This is an oak-hickory forest with a high degree of disturbance, possible caused by gypsy moths. The shrub layer is very sparse and the herb layer is really dense. The herb layer includes several invasive and exotic plants that will probably take over in a few years. The open conditions continue as far as I can see upslope, while dense shrub layers occur to the N & S on the slope.
Deer browse is significant. Gypsy moths were probably abundant in recent years, but only moderate feeding is occurring this year.
Hemlock adelgid mortality.