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
800
m²
Plot Quality Fields:
Plot Validation Level
(2) classification plot: sufficient for inclusion in a classification revision
Overall Plot Vegetation Fields:
Tree Height
28
m
Shrub Height
6
m
Field Height
0
m
Tree Cover
90
%
Shrub Cover
12
%
Field Cover
60
%
Nonvascular Cover
0.5
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
Plot is located in a very extensive and old-age chestnut oak - red oak - hickory stand with open understory and fairly dense and diverse herb layer. This stand stretches for several km along the upper, southeast flank of Beards Mountain and encompasses some compositional variability related to slope shape and soil development. This plot, located in a slight concavity below a small saddle on the ridge, represents the mesic end of the gradient with forbs dominating the herb layer (see also plot DOSP003, located 0.6 km to the SW). Shrubs are sparse, and most were recently top-killed by fire or drought. The largest trees in and around the plot are Quercus montana; Carya ovalis dominates every layer except the canopy (where it is co-dominant). An 800 meter square sample was required to adequately capture the composition.