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
9
m
Shrub Height
5
m
Field Height
1
m
Tree Cover
30
%
Shrub Cover
40
%
Field Cover
60
%
Nonvascular Cover
1
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
Plot located at the west end of a very extensive shale barren complex on the steep, southeast-facing slopes flanking Browns Hollow near New Market Gap. The vegetation of this 0.5-ha patch is distinctly different from the remainder of the complex in having Juniperus virginiana and Fraxinus americana as co-dominant trees, along with a more diverse assemblage of species, some which are calciphiles (e.g., Pellaea atropurpurea, Bouteloua curtipendula). Also present are the shale barren endemics Packera antennariifolia and Arabis serotina. Soil chemistry data obtained from samples collected in the plot confirm that the shale here is highly calcareous.