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
25
m
Shrub Height
2
m
Field Height
8
m
Tree Cover
80
%
Shrub Cover
30
%
Field Cover
65
%
Nonvascular Cover
40
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
A fairly young but extraordinarily diverse calcareous forest on a lower, rocky slope subtending Big Cedar Creek at Pinnacle Natural Area Preserve. Underlying bedrock is dolomite of the Knox Group and soils have high Ca, very high Mg, and are fully base-saturated. There are no clear overstory dominants among Quercus muhlenbergii, Q. shummardii, Fraxinus americana, Magnolia acuminata, and Acer saccharum. The herb layer has very high species-richness, with both mesophytes and xerophytes growing together. This vegetation is fairly typical of the dry-mesic slopes that occupy south- to southwest-facing aspects and sharp convexities on the winding flank of the cove; they alternate with more mesophytic, rich cove forests that occupy the north and east aspects and strong concavities.