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
30
m
Shrub Height
6
m
Field Height
5
m
Tree Cover
75
%
Shrub Cover
20
%
Field Cover
40
%
Nonvascular Cover
1
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
Plot captures an even-aged red oak - hickory stand on west side of a saddle between Locust and Brushy Mountains. There is ample evidence of old mining / prospect pits and other past disturbances, and it is likely that this site was cleared in the past. The current forest vegetation has moderately high species richness and contains several species suggestive of basic soils, although chemistry data from soil samples does not support this presumption. Drought stress in the form of wilting and browning was evident on Cimicifuga racemosa and other forbs on the date of sampling.