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
25
m
Shrub Height
5
m
Field Height
5
m
Tree Cover
40
%
Shrub Cover
10
%
Field Cover
35
%
Nonvascular Cover
20
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
Plot positioned on a rocky "knick-point" along the Potomac River shore, where schistose rock of the Mather Gorge formation underlies the channel shelf. The floodplain narrows considerably here because of a sharp bluff and outcrop, and is scoured frequently and violently by floods. The vegetation is an open, mixed woodland with very sparse understory and diverse alluvial herbs. The trees here are all heavily leaning and have water sprouts from flood damage. A large clone of Carex emoryi dominates the herb layer in the downstream portion of the plot. Update 2007-04-04: work is now underway to relocate the riverside trail that traverses this woodland to the top of the bluff.