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
33
m
Shrub Height
6
m
Field Height
5
m
Tree Cover
80
%
Shrub Cover
60
%
Field Cover
90
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
Plot is on a steep, concave, northeast-facing slope above Rt 727 and the Smith River. The vegetation is an extraordinarily rich mesophytic forest for this area with a nearly continuous herb layer of Jeffersonia diphylla, Cystopteris protrusa, Asarum canadense, and other nutrient-demanding species. The Geologic Map of Virginia shows a band of amphibolite near, but not on, this site; given the inaccuracies of applying a 500k-scale map at 24k scale, we suspect that the sample site lies within this band. On either side, the slopes support vegetation of a more acidic character with species such as Rhododendron maximum prevalent. This forest has an overstory dominated by even-age, medium-sized tulip-poplar, indicative of past cutting, with some basswood and bitternut hickory in the sub-canopy.
