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
27
m
Shrub Height
6
m
Field Height
5
m
Tree Cover
80
%
Shrub Cover
25
%
Field Cover
20
%
Nonvascular Cover
1
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
This plot captures a classic northern red oak forest on the gentle crest of a side ridge north of the Hurricane Mountain crest. This and nearby areas are referred to on some maps as "Chestnut Flats," alluding to the former dominance of American chestnut on this site. Currently chestnut is represented only by small sprouts, with extensive coarse woody debris from stumps and hollow cut stems of this species present on the forest floor. Most of the canopy regeneration following the chestnut blight has been by Quercus rubra, which accounts for 100% of the large tree (> 40 cm DBH) density in the vicinity of the plot. The stand appears to be even-aged, with younger recruitment completely absent. Acer rubrum dominates the sub-canopy tree layers, representing (along with Betula lenta and Acer saccharum) a future successional trajectory if red oak decline continues. Species characteristic of southern Appalachian red oak forests, e.g., Vaccinium erythrocarpum and Thelypteris noveboracensis, dominate a rather sparse herb layer.