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
28
m
Shrub Height
6
m
Field Height
7
m
Tree Cover
75
%
Shrub Cover
30
%
Field Cover
79
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
Very diverse dry-mesic forest on the northwest-facing slope of a dolomite knob near the Clinch River. The south slope of this knob supports one of the largest calcareous barrens in Virginia. Conditions on the north slope are quite mesic and the forest overstory is contains a mixture of oaks, hickories, white ash, cucumber magnolia, and tulip-poplar, with considerable young recruitment of sugar maple and yellow buckeye in the understory. The shrub layer is open and the herb layer is relatively dense with a mixture of forbs and sedges. Species richness is high (87 taxa / 400 sq.m.). This forest is relatively young, but shows little sign of recent disturbance.