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
28
m
Shrub Height
5
m
Field Height
8
m
Tree Cover
85
%
Shrub Cover
8
%
Field Cover
56
%
Nonvascular Cover
0.5
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
Plot is located in an open oak-hickory stand in a broad, sheltered, NE-facing swale on the crest of South Sister Knob. The plot represents the "mesic," forb-rich phase or variant of the upper-slope montane oak-hickory forest; the more exposed, west side of the crest near this plot, as well as plot GDNF020 located 0.7 km to the northeast, both support the "xeric" phase that has more Quercus montana and xerophytic graminoids patch-dominant in the herb layer. Several large-diameter trees in and around plot suggest that this stand is fairly old. Evidence of shrub top-kill from drought is present. The understory is dominated by red maple and hickories; oak recruitment is essentially absent. Two Robinia snags are present just outside plot.
