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
80
%
Shrub Cover
80
%
Field Cover
60
%
Nonvascular Cover
30
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
This plot was positioned to capture the characteristic forest vegetation on the highest summit of Walker Mountain near the Big Bend picnic area. The site is on the north side of the gentle crest and is covered with ledgey outcrops and large boulders of lichen-covered sandstone. The forest is a classic northern red oak forest with virtually 100% canopy dominance by Quercus rubra, some of them impressively large. Oak recruitment is very low in this stand, the subcanopy tree layers of which are composed mostly of Acer rubrum and Betula lenta. Hamamelis virginiana is the most abundant shrub and ferns, particularly Dennstaedtia punctilobula, dominate the herb layer along with extensive clones of dwarfed Vaccinium erythrocarpum. Deer-grazing pressure appears to be very high on forbs and many understory shrubs exhibit apical or complete die-back, possibly from drought. The site appears to be popular with geo-caching enthusiasts.