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
6
m
Field Height
1
m
Tree Cover
80
%
Shrub Cover
35
%
Field Cover
25
%
Nonvascular Cover
1
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
This stand is a classic example of a mature mixed oak forest (Quercus montana, Q. alba, and Q. rubra) with virtually no oak recruitment and an understory of more tolerant, mesophytic trees, primarily Acer rubrum, Acer saccharum, and Fagus grandifolia. It probably became established following logging, fire, and other historical disturbances that favored oaks. In the absence of such disturbances, it will eventually succeed into a beech-maple forest in the future. This site is drier and much less fertile than most of the north slope of Morris Knob, which supports rich, mesophytic forests of Acer saccharum, Tilia americana var. heterophylla, Fraxinus americana, and other "cove" species.