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
100
m²
Plot Quality Fields:
Plot Validation Level
(2) classification plot: sufficient for inclusion in a classification revision
Overall Plot Vegetation Fields:
Shrub Height
5
m
Field Height
5
m
Shrub Cover
50
%
Field Cover
10
%
Nonvascular Cover
50
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
This plot is a fairly dense shrubland dominated by Aronia melanocarpa but containing a diversity of other woody plants and herbs. The vegetation contains a number of characteristic high-elevation plants (e.g., Sorbus americana, Diervilla lonicera) as well as some more characteristic of lower elevations (e.g., Fraxinus americana, Symphyotrichum laeve). Many tree saplings are present, but the steepness, extremely shallow soils and periodic drought stress on the outcrop probably keep this vegetation open.
Sample collected from a thin mat of light brown silt loam with much gravel. Much of the soil accumulated on this ledge is probably colluvial in origin.
Disturbance Data:
Disturbance Type
Disturbance Intensity
Disturbance Comment
unknown
Overturned rocks and churned up soil indicate recent disturbance by a large animal, possibly a bear.