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
25
m
Shrub Height
2
m
Field Height
5
m
Tree Cover
80
%
Shrub Cover
20
%
Field Cover
70
%
Nonvascular Cover
1
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
Plot is on a broad, convex slope on the west side of Low Gap, between Clinch and Brumley Mountains. At elevation 3800 ft, this area supports a fairly typical stand of Northern Red Oak Forest with dense fern-dominated herb layer. The red oaks are even-aged and now recruiting poorly, with smaller Acer rubrum invading the understory. While this site is no doubt recovering from logging and other disturbances, the ridge crests west and southwest of the plot forested were apparently more extensively disturbed, perhaps by grazing and clearing, and now contain extensive Rubus thickets and weeds in understory.