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
35
m
Shrub Height
5
m
Field Height
7
m
Tree Cover
80
%
Shrub Cover
20
%
Field Cover
75
%
Nonvascular Cover
0.5
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
This plot, located at the back edge of a very wide portion of the Banister River floodplain, is a magnificent example of hydrophytic oak-dominated forest. The tall, massive crowns of the dominant canopy trees were spotted from Rt. 716 while driving through the area, and the area was subsequently explored and sampled. The forest is probably shallowly flooded for periods, but was mostly drawn down at time of the survey. It is comprised of impressively tall (~ 35 m), large-diameter (up to 80 cm) Quercus phellos and Q. palustris, and has an open understory and locally dense sedge swards (mostly of Carex typhina, C. tribuloides, C. squarrosa) in the herb stratum. The large trees are all about the same size, and probably, age.
thin or no leaf litter
A = sticky clay with white and orange-red mottles (to surface)
Disturbance Data:
Disturbance Type
Disturbance Intensity
Disturbance Comment
unknown
Very low cover by exotics. No recent human disturbance. And old field and ruins of a shed are adjacent. Two old snags in plot with associated canopy gaps.