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
32
m
Shrub Height
6
m
Field Height
2
m
Tree Cover
40
%
Shrub Cover
70
%
Field Cover
20
%
Nonvascular Cover
1
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
Plot is at back edge of an open-canopy swamp forest adjacent to the low sand ridge where plot FCSP019 is located. To the west, the swamp grades into wind-tidal scrub, then marsh, along the edge of Back Bay. The site appears to be mostly seasonally flooded by groundwater, with occasional surges from exceptionally high wind tides. The substrate is a patchwork of deep, mucky peat and firmer hummocks and downed logs. The forest is one of the most mature swamp forests observed at False Cape and is somewhat unusual in the strong canopy dominance of Nyssa biflora (most are dominated by Acer rubrum). Several large Magnolia virginiana occur in the sub-canopy. Canopy-sized Pinus taeda associated with this community do not appear healthy and there are several snags of this species in and around the plot.
