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
32
m
Shrub Height
5
m
Field Height
8
m
Tree Cover
95
%
Shrub Cover
30
%
Field Cover
70
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
Plot location: low slope 1.4 km SSW of junction of Routes 684 and 744, in Whitney State Forest.
Most of the Whitney State Forest has been heavily cut over. The plot, however, is located in a small area of the site that contains large individuals of Liriodendron tulipifera, Quercus alba, and Q. rubra, 35-73 cm DBH. Four species of Carya (C. alba, C. cordiformis, C. glabra, and C. ovata) dominate the understory, suggesting that in the future, this stand will be characterized by more of an oak-hickory overstory. Soils here have moderately high calcium and magnesium, and both the shrub and herb layers are quite diverse. Several exotics (e.g., Elaeagnus umbellata, Lonicera morrowii, Celastrus orbiculatus) are problematic invaders here.