Large privately owned island in the Dry Fork river. To the SW and across the back channel is a steep slope with a mesic forest of Eastern hemlock - yellow poplar - red oak / great laurel. The forest is owned by the USFS. Downstream adjacent to the plot is a sycamore woodland similar to the plot only with high cover by Platanus. N of that is a sycamore / tall herb woodland with high cover by exotics. The island forest is successional with dominance by yellow poplar / winged stem. However small patches of forest w/ red oak - American beech / New York fern dominate. Similar to community type sampled along the Shavers Fork.;Open sunny community along the upstream end of a large river island. Community recieves frequent high velocity floods. Thus limiting the establishment of woody species. Deer herbivory is present on herbs in plot. Community is relatively low in species diversity also likely due to flood frequency and velocity. Plants in the plot must be able to deal with being super wet, then dry, and a moblie substrate.
Representativeness
Small patch of herbaceous cobble bar with dominance by Indian hemp. Similar to plots sampled along the Dry Fork, Shavers Fork, N. Frk. S. Br Potomac River to name a few. Plot takes up most of the patch.
