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
34
m
Shrub Height
3
m
Field Height
4
m
Tree Cover
80
%
Shrub Cover
5
%
Field Cover
60
%
Nonvascular Cover
0.5
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
Site is a depression in the broad floodplain of Jones Hole Swamp upstream from the Sussex/Prince George Co. line. This site lies at a slightly higher elevation than the lowest bottoms of the floodplain, and a meter or two lower than the highest terraces. Hydrology is difficult to evaluate based on one visit, but appears to be characterized by shallow seasonal flooding, perhaps mainly in the winter and spring. Vegetation is intermediate between the Nyssa-dominated first bottoms and the relatively well-drained forests of Quercus michauxii, Ilex opaca, and Arundinaria tecta of the highest terraces. The sampled stand has no clear dominants, with Nyssa biflora, Quercus lyrata, Fraxinus pennsylvanica, Acer rubrum, Liquidambar styraciflua, Nyssa aquatica, and (outside the plot) Quercus palustris all reaching the canopy. The shrub layer is sparse and the herb layer is patch-dominated by Carex louisianica, Leersia lenticularis, Carex joorii, and other graminoids.