Intensive 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
1000
m²
Plot Quality Fields:
Plot Validation Level
(2) classification plot: sufficient for inclusion in a classification revision
Overall Plot Vegetation Fields:
Tree Height
19
m
Shrub Height
3
m
Field Height
3
m
Tree Cover
40
%
Shrub Cover
40
%
Field Cover
85
%
Nonvascular Cover
10
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
One of the most diverse stands of upland vegetation ever sampled in Virginia remarkably contains only one exotic species. A few stumps are present, but there is no other evidence of past logging. Nevertheless, stand is somewhat disturbed; module 7 contains a snag adjacent to stake H, and a gap spans modules 7 and 8. Many individuals of Fraxinus (and also some Q. muhlenbergii and Liriodendron) have poorly developed crowns and low leaf area. Numerous rocks at ground surface are covered with a thin veneer of soil or organic matter; hence surface cover of cobbles and stones is functionally higher than data suggest. Stand is more open at the end of the plot, especially in modules 3-7, but species composition is remarkably consistent throughout. Low Betulaceous shrubs - Ostrya, Carpinus, Corylus - are visually confusing and confound estimation of cover. Despite high species richness several expected species are missing: Solidago sphacelata, Symphyotrichum phlogifolium, Frangula caroliniana.
