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
35
m
Shrub Height
5
m
Field Height
5
m
Tree Cover
80
%
Shrub Cover
50
%
Field Cover
70
%
Nonvascular Cover
3
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
The plot captures the best portion of a small remnant of rich, mixed mesophytic forest on a steep limestone slope along Connollys Run in Wildwood Park. Disturbed, cleared areas are located both on the upland above the slope and in the bottomland below, which has increased the number of invasive weeds in the forest. A long, narrow configuration (10 x 40 m) was used in order to avoid excessive trampling of the lush herbaceous vegetation. The long axis was placed just above a park trail, which was used as a staging area from which much of the plot could be accessed and observed. The vegetation is characteristic of forests in the New River Valley that are dominated by sugar maple, white basswood, and yellow buckeye and contain a profusion of nutrient-demanding spring ephemerals.
