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
31
m
Shrub Height
6
m
Field Height
5
m
Tree Cover
80
%
Shrub Cover
40
%
Field Cover
40
%
Nonvascular Cover
20
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
This fairly mature, mixed oak / deciduous heath forest occupies a gentle, bouldery, mid-slope bench on Great North Mountain. It is the predominant vegetation type on the gentler slopes along Forest Road 92 near Little Stony Creek. The stand contains variable mixtures of white, chestnut, scarlet, and black oaks. Larger chestnut oaks occur just upslope of plot, where the slope steepens. Several old blowdowns have contributed extensive coarse woody debris to the forest floor. The stand has some oak recruitment, mostly in gaps; sapling red maple and pignut hickory, are recruiting into the shrub and small tree layers.
0-3 cm: leaf litter
3-6 cm: dense humus / root mat
6+ cm: rocks and yellow-brown sandy loam
Very difficult to collect sample.
Disturbance Data:
Disturbance Type
Disturbance Intensity
Disturbance Comment
unknown
Scattered Pinus rigida suggests past fire. Old, coppice-sprouted chestnut oaks and scattered, well-rotted stumps indicate at least two episodes of logging.
