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
31
m
Shrub Height
6
m
Field Height
0
m
Tree Cover
70
%
Shrub Cover
60
%
Field Cover
70
%
Nonvascular Cover
40
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
Plot location: swampy stream bottom in deep ravine at west foot of High Acre Ridge, 0.62 km SSW of the summit. Marked with a metal tree tag. See form/report for sketch. Rock types present: mixed metasedimentary boulders and alluvium.
An elongate plot (10 X 40 m) was placed in this stream bottom in order to restrict sampling to the wetland habitat. Even so, the plot contains considerable microtopographic and floristic heterogeneity because of braided drainage and local lateral seepage. Herbaceous mesophytes such as Parathelypteris noveboracensis dominate the better-drained hummocks, while a variety of wetland species prevail elsewhere. The wetland forbs Symplocarpus foetidus and Veratrum viride had mostly died back for the season on this late sampling date, and are probably much more abundant earlier in the year. Two regionally rare mountain disjuncts occur in this seepage swamp: Fraxinus nigra and Dryopteris goldiana. Noticeable deer grazing on the following plants: Eurybia divaricata, Carex prasina, Chelone glabra, Eutrochium purpureum var. purpureum, and Osmundastrum cinnamomeum.
Soil Nutrient Status: medium.
Very irregular duff and humus layers; on hummocks, A = brown loam / sandy loam.
In hollow and rills, A = Gravelly sand OR dark muck.
Physical Analysis (composite sample): 1% clay, 7% silt, 92% sand.