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
29
m
Shrub Height
6
m
Field Height
7
m
Tree Cover
80
%
Shrub Cover
60
%
Field Cover
65
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
This forested floodplain is part of the Sailors Creek Historical State Park, where one of the last battles of the Civil War was fought. The plot is located on a levee between Sailors Creek and Little Sailors Creek (ca. 25 m apart at this point), which join just downstream at the Rt 619 bridge. This floodplain is very active and showed evidence of frequent flooding. Moreover, the historic remains of a "Double Bridge," which crossed both creeks at the time of the Civil War, indicate that the stream channels have dramatically changed course over time. The forest here is co-dominated by flood-tolerant trees: Fraxinus pennsylvanica, Celtis occidentalis, Ulmus americana, Betula nigra, and Acer negundo. The herbaceous flora contained several species (e.g., Asarum canadense and Viola pubescens) indicative of high soil nutrient status; because of the late sampling date, nutrient-demanding spring ephemerals were no doubt missed and a spring revisit is recommended.
