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
28
m
Shrub Height
3
m
Field Height
5
m
Tree Cover
75
%
Shrub Cover
1
%
Field Cover
90
%
Nonvascular Cover
1
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
This plot documents a rich, mixed mesophytic cove forest on the steep lower slope of Clinch Mountain above Tumbling Creek. Underlying bedrock is the red siltstone member of the Juniata Formation, and deep colluvial soils on this very steep slope contain very high calcium and total base saturation levels. The forest is medium-aged, with mixed and variable canopy co-dominance by Acer saccharum, Aesculus flava, Carya cordiformis, Liriodendron tulipifera, Fraxinus americana, Ulmus rubra, and Tilia americana var. heterophylla (outside plot). A shrub layer is essentially absent, while the herb layer is lush and continous with spring ephemerals and other nutrient-demanding forbs.