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
36
m
Shrub Height
6
m
Field Height
5
m
Tree Cover
80
%
Shrub Cover
30
%
Field Cover
20
%
Nonvascular Cover
1
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
The vegetation in this plot is representative of sheltered areas on slopes where small streams draining Hurricane Mountain form shallow ravines in the lower slope / fan complex along Hurricane Creek. It is a ~ rich, medium-age, post-logging mesophytic cove forest dominated by Liriodendron tulipifera and containing a number of nutrient-demanding species in the understory and herb layer, e.g., Lindera benzoin, Caulophyllum thalictroides, Adiantum pedatum, Trillium grandiflorum, etc. Tilia americana var. heterophylla, Acer saccharum, Quercus rubra, Carya cordiformis, Magnolia acuminata, and Fraxinus americana are additional overstory and understory associates. Herb cover is abnormally low, apparently because of very heavy herbivory pressure by white-tailed deer. This forest contrasts sharply with the prevalent mixed oak forests of the interfluve convexities (see plot JRNF081) and may be associated with local areas of more base-rich substrate material.