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
30
m
Shrub Height
6
m
Field Height
5
m
Tree Cover
75
%
Shrub Cover
20
%
Field Cover
20
%
Nonvascular Cover
2
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
The site is a rather dry, convex middle slope on the southeast flank of Walker Mountain along Rt. 738. Underlying bedrock is shale and the slope is located at the downslope end of an area mapped by Jesse Overcash (USFS) as potential old-age forest. The stand here consists of apparently rather old Quercus alba, and some Q. velutina and Q. montana, in the overstory, and an assortment of potential oak-replacement species in the understory. Of the latter, Pinus strobus and Acer rubrum are especially abundant and obviously increasing rapidly, presumably following a period of fire exclusion. Low-statured ericads and low-cover forbs and graminoids form a very open and patchy herb layer.