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 Cover
70
%
Shrub Cover
5
%
Field Cover
90
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
Forest vegetation of this alluvial floodplain is stratified into a tall (>20 m.) layer dominated by Populus deltoides and a subcanopy layer (>10 m.) dominated by Acer negundo. Alluvial soils are evidently quite fertile here, based on the abundance of species such as Impatiens pallida and Laportea canadensis. The back portion of this floodplain at this site (including the plot area) was probably cleared at some point in the past, with Populus deltoides representing the initial invader of the area when it was abandoned. Slightly higher, riverbank levee that was probably not cleared is now dominated by larger specimens of Acer saccharinum.
High Cliff Canoe Camp, along the South Fork Shenandoah River near terminus of Rt. 684, ca. 0.6 mi northwest of Rileyville. Plot located in a slight depression in the floodplain ca. 0.2 mi west of the main camping area.