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
11
m
Shrub Height
6
m
Field Height
6
m
Tree Cover
40
%
Shrub Cover
55
%
Field Cover
75
%
Nonvascular Cover
5
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
A very steep slope below small sandstone cliffs supporting open woodland vegetation covering ca. 0.4 ha. The Ridgely sandstone in this area is highly calcareous and soil is unusually deep and well-developed, as well as somewhat unstable. The scrubby vegetation is dominated by short, gnarled Fraxinus americana, Quercus muhlenbergii, Quercus montana, Juniperus virginiana, Carya glabra, and Cercis canadensis. The herb layer is dense and patch-dominated by Muhlenbergia sobolifera, Carex pensylvanica, Pycnanthemum incanum, and Ageratina altissima. Many additional species occur at low cover. Both above and below, this vegetation grades into a dry-mesic calcareous forest variably co-dominated by oaks, hickories, and sugar maple.