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
Stem Observation Area
400
m²
Plot Quality Fields:
Plot Validation Level
(2) classification plot: sufficient for inclusion in a classification revision
Overall Plot Vegetation Fields:
Tree Height
30
m
Shrub Height
6
m
Field Height
1
m
Tree Cover
80
%
Shrub Cover
70
%
Field Cover
90
%
Nonvascular Cover
3
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
Plot location: swampy area 0.1km west of Rt. 629 and 1.21km north of Jct. of Rts. 629 and 601 in Hopewell Gap. Permanently marked with a metal tree tag. See form/report for sketch. Rock types present: quartzite and phyllite boulders and fragments.
Locally huge tangles of Smilax rotundifolia are probably indicative of some past disturbance in this long, narrow headwaters stream bottom. The vegetation, however, is fairly typical for the habitat, containing the characteristic suite of seepage-swamp species, including Acer rubrum, Ilex verticillata, Vaccinium fuscatum, Symplocarpus foetidus, and Osmundastrum cinnamomeum. The northern and montane herb Veratrum viride is notably abundant here. An elongate plot configuration (10 X 40 m) was necessary to eliminate adjacent upland habitat from the sampling area. Although not recorded within the plot boundaries, Microstegium vimineum is abundant nearby.
Water pH and temperature data collected 2005-03-09. Mean groundwater pH (4 samples) = 6.24. Mean groundwater temperature (deg. C, 4 samples) = 4.45.