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 Cover
90
%
Shrub Cover
70
%
Field Cover
70
%
Nonvascular Cover
1
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
Presumed old-growth forest on fine-textured soils of mafic origin, dominated by Liriodendron tulipifera in the tree layer and by Lindera benzoin and Asimina triloba in the understory. This forest community is distinct from the Quercus-rich communities which make up other portions of the old growth forest at Montpelier. Dominance of Liriodendron may be a response to chestnut blight removing former dominant Castanea dentata, together with relative high fertility of soil. In both the oak and Liriodendron-dominated old growth 75-105 (up to 130) cm dbh trees occur ~3 per 0.1 hectare. 45-61 cm dbh trees up to ~6/0.1 hectare. In addition to the soil analysis for the A horizon in the environmental data, analysis of the B horizon is also on the original plot form.
Plot located ca. 1.2 km east of center of Montpelier plantation area, on NNW-facing upper slope of main ridge that runs southwest to northeast.
+1 - 0 - Oi
0 - 7 - A: silty clay loam or clay loam, reddish-brown, moist; 7.5 YR3/3; str, gr/sbk
7 - 20 - B: silty clay loam or clay loam, redder brown-black, more gravelly, very firm and approaching a clay loam; 5YR4/6; str, gr
20 - 40+ - silty clay, clay or clay loam; str, gr
What appears to be gravel is hard, dark brown concretions which will crumble under hard fingernail pressure.
Disturbance Data:
Disturbance Type
Disturbance Intensity
Disturbance Comment
unknown
A small cut in chestnut stump probably related to honey gathering rather than chestnut salvage. Large intact rotting logs are present.
