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
800
m²
Plot Quality Fields:
Plot Validation Level
(2) classification plot: sufficient for inclusion in a classification revision
Overall Plot Vegetation Fields:
Tree Height
27
m
Shrub Height
5
m
Field Height
0
m
Tree Cover
90
%
Shrub Cover
20
%
Field Cover
70
%
Nonvascular Cover
0.5
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
This plot captures part of same extensive montane oak - hickory stand as GWNF031, located 0.6 km to the northeast. This sample, however, is a drier expression situated on a strongly convex "knob" on the mountain crest. The canopy here is dominated by massive chestnut oaks, some of which are stump-sprouted and some of which have the architecture of trees that were open-grown for at least part of their lives. Large white oaks are also present. This is undoubtedly an an old-age stand that has seen historical disturbance from mountain-top livestock grazing (a common practice in the 1800's and early 1900's) on the gentler parts of the crest. The lack of a well-developed shrub layer also suggests past grazing or fire. Hickory is recruiting into the understory in the southern half of the sample area. The herb layer has significant graminoid diversity with local dominance by Calamagrostis porteri . An 800 meter square sample was required to adequately sample tree composition.
