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
21
m
Shrub Height
6
m
Field Height
5
m
Tree Cover
75
%
Shrub Cover
35
%
Field Cover
45
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
Plot is located in an extensive stand of red oak-dominated forest on the broad, upper south slope of Potts Mountain. It captures the variation present in a small swale near the transition between this vegetation and oak-hickory/sedge forest that occupies the crest zone. There was ample oak regeneration in all size classes here, and the canopy dominants were above-average size for this site. However, several oak snags were present in and around the plot, and there was considerable mortality of understory Acer pensylvanicum, possibly from drought. The herb layer is dominated by low colonies of Vaccinium erythrocarpon but contains a diversity of low-cover forbs and graminoids.