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
36
m
Shrub Height
6
m
Field Height
3
m
Tree Cover
90
%
Shrub Cover
30
%
Field Cover
25
%
Nonvascular Cover
0.5
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
This plot was sampled in the backswamp of a large, seasonally flooded bottomland, ca. 450 meters from the Blackwater River. The forest here is dominated by Nyssa aquatica, with frequent Fraxinus profunda and scattered Taxodium distichum. The forest is dense with multiple age (size) classes of Nyssa and Fraxinus represented and diameters ranging from 15 to 70 cm. Species richness and herb cover are quite low; Saururus cernuus is the most common herb. It is likely deeply flooded for much of the year, although the area was dry at the time of this survey. The adjacent upland slope supports mesic hardwood forest.
