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
5
m
Field Height
1
m
Tree Cover
80
%
Shrub Cover
15
%
Field Cover
70
%
Nonvascular Cover
0.5
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
Plot located on a convex, east-facing side slope about 300 meters west of Laurel Bed Lake on Clinch Mountain. The vegetation here is a medium-age, recently burned red oak - chestnut oak forest, with excellent recruitment of red oaks. All shrubs and some tree saplings were top-killed during the recent fire, and were partly resprouted at the time of sampling. Unlike many similar oak forests, the herb layer of this stand is exceptionally lush with large colonies of Galax urceolata, Convallaria majuscula, Oclemena acuminata, Thelypteris noveboracensis, Solidago curtisii, and other species. This herbaceous density apparently represents a response to the burning off of surficial litter and humus, as well as increased illumination and decrease in shrub competition.
Well-rotted stumps and some stump-sprouted oaks present in stand. Site was burned within the last few years; all shrubs were top-killed and were resprouting on date of sampling.