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
7
m
Shrub Height
1.5
m
Field Height
3
m
Tree Cover
5
%
Shrub Cover
50
%
Field Cover
55
%
Nonvascular Cover
15
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
Plot is at upper edge of a large wetland shrub meadow in a headwaters basin/cove land form. Abundant evidence of logging and catastrophic fire are everywhere, indicating that the habitat, vegetation, and perhaps hydrology have undergone dramatic changes in the not-too-distant past. The site has only a superficial mantle of thin peat and Sphagnum over silty mineral soil. The vegetation is perhaps an early successional stage of the pitch pine bog vegetation that is found in several places nearby in the Stony Creek drainage. Only young scattered pitch pines are present here; much of the vegetation is dominated by shrubs, especially Hypericum and Spiraea tomentosa, with Osmunda cinnamomea forming dense colonies in the herb layer. Although some of the characteristic "bog" species are present, Eriophorum virginicum and others are absent.
Soil collected from depressions where mineral soil is exposed; small areas of shallow Sphagnum / peat development occur throughout. Typical profile:
0-5 cm: medium gray silty muck
5-20+ cm: light gray clay with orange mottles
Disturbance Data:
Disturbance Type
Disturbance Intensity
Disturbance Comment
unknown
Old cut stumps present; charred wood on ground. Peat layer was perhaps burned off by a large wildfire. Recent logging and soil disturbance around margin of wetland (outside plot) by road.
