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
1000
m²
Plot Quality Fields:
Plot Validation Level
(2) classification plot: sufficient for inclusion in a classification revision
Overall Plot Vegetation Fields:
Tree Height
33
m
Shrub Height
6
m
Field Height
6
m
Tree Cover
90
%
Shrub Cover
30
%
Field Cover
30
%
Nonvascular Cover
0.5
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
The plot is located along a broad diffuse headwaters branch of Beaverdam Creek that runs through a flat/undulating upland in Newport News Park. Hydrology appears variable in this bottom; the reach were sampling was conducted had considerable microtopographic variation and showed evidence of shallow seasonal flooding in the hollows. The surficial soil horizon is a mottled clay loam, suggesting imperfect drainage. Vegetation is a mixed forest of hydrophytic oaks - primarily Quercus michauxii and Q. lyrata, with some Q. phellos and (outside the plot) Q. pagoda. Much of the forest along this bottom is young and disturbed, but the sampled stand is notably mature, with dominant oaks averaging 50 to 80 cm DBH and 33 m tall. Fraxinus pennsylvanica, Liquidambar styraciflua, Ulmus americana, and Acer rubrum are scattered canopy associates, and also make up most of the subcanopy. Carex spp. were difficult to identify at this late data, and an earlier-season revisit is recommended.
