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
18
m
Shrub Height
5
m
Field Height
1
m
Tree Cover
20
%
Shrub Cover
35
%
Field Cover
75
%
Nonvascular Cover
100
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
This plot documents an extraordinary, open woodland bog covering about 2.2 hectares in the Little Meadows valley of Little Stony Creek. The habitat is saturated with groundwater seeping into the edge of the valley floor from adjacent slopes. The substrate is deep, locally quaking peat and wet Sphagnum covers the ground. The density of trees is variable, with a few semi-closed stands and mostly very open stands of stunted, small-diameter Pinus rigida and a little Acer rubrum. Shrubs are patchy or sparse and include Hypericum densiflorum, Lyonia ligustrina var. ligustrina, Spiraea tomentosa, Pinus strobus, Aronia melanocarpa, Rhododendron maximum, Vaccinium corymbosum, and Vaccinium angustifolium. Two creeping sub-shrubs, Vaccinium macrocarpon and Rubus hispidus, are common. The herbaceous flora is dense and dominated by Carex atlantica ssp. atlantica. Also common are Eriophorum virginicum, Parnassia asarifolia, Polygonum sagittatum, Lycopus uniflorus, Glyceria canadensis, and Viola macloskeyi ssp. pallens. Species less numerous but scattered throughout the bog include Triadenum fraseri, Calamagrostis coarctata, Carex gynandra, Carex stricta, Drosera rotundifolia var. rotundifolia, Juncus brevicaudatus, Juncus subcaudatus, and Rhynchospora capitellata. The condition of the occurrence is excellent, with no recent human or beaver disturbance. This is in contrast to many other parts of the valley which may have once supported similar bogs but which now are occupied by old beaver ponds and clearings in various stages of shrubby succession.
