The adjacent community is a dense forest/woodland of Hemlock-Red Maple/Kalmia latifolia. Obviously it is flooded less frequently. Then ca. 70 m SW from the plot is a thin rocky back channel. Above that on the upland is a dense patch of Deciduous forest/ Rhododendron maximum. See one of the plots from later today. Upriver ca. 3.5 miles is the Summersville Dam. The plot is located below Pillow Rock rapid on one of the premier streches of water in WV.;Frequently flooded shrubland growing on large boulder field. This is probably an expression of our classic Gauley River flat rock community, but there isn't anything flat about this plot. Sparsely vegetated boulders with tiny sand deposits in between. These sandy areas hold a host of different herbaceous plants. Open, sunny and hot already at 9 am. Area is used primarily by fishermen and photographers (during Gauley season). This plot probably has a different appreance in the later summer.
Representativeness
(see photo)
Thin patch of boulder field/flat rock shrubland along high gradient stream edge. Similar to plot done along Williams River by JPV, EAB and BPS in 2004. Due to the somewhat easy access to this section of river, it is likely we already have a