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
19
m
Shrub Height
6
m
Field Height
5
m
Tree Cover
80
%
Shrub Cover
25
%
Field Cover
20
%
Nonvascular Cover
5
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
A rather dry oak-hickory forest occupying the west-facing brow of Bobby's Ridge in the saddle between the main ridge and High Point. Quercus alba and Q. rubra dominate the overstory with occasional Q. montana, while Carya ovalis and Acer rubrum constitute most of the younger tree recruitment. Herb cover appears to be abnormally low at this site, and appears to be heavily constrained by excessive deer grazing. Top-grazing of both herbs and low shrubs is evident throughout the site. This vegetation is confined to a small area on the upper west slope of the ridge. The east-facing slope of the saddle supports a mesic, Acer saccharum-dominated cove forest which has a similarly and abnormally depauperate herb layer. The summit and upper slopes of the main ridge support fern-rich Quercus rubra-dominated forests (see plot JRNF072).