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
27
m
Shrub Height
5
m
Field Height
7
m
Tree Cover
90
%
Shrub Cover
12
%
Field Cover
20
%
Nonvascular Cover
25
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
A relatively mature chestnut oak - northern red oak / hickory stand on a very bouldery, west facing slope of gap along crest of Massanutten Mountain SW of Kennedy Peak. Very similar vegetation covers the upper SE slope of the narrow-crested ridge to southwest. Herbs have sparse cover due to high boulder cover and dense mats of roots and organic matter. This stand has virtually no red maple, which is typically an abundant understory invader in the absence of fire and other disturbances. Young recruitment here is almost all of hickory and a little chestnut oak.