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
21
m
Shrub Height
3
m
Field Height
8
m
Tree Cover
85
%
Shrub Cover
10
%
Field Cover
65
%
Nonvascular Cover
40
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
Plot placed on a steep, bouldery slope just below saddle on ridge crest, intermediate between the mesic lower slopes and dry, rocky upper slopes. Underlying bedrock is dolomite of the Honaker Formation, and soils are rich in calcium, magnesium, and total base saturation. Forest vegetation is notably diverse, with a rather open canopy and a dense herb layer patch-dominated by Diarrhena americana and Polymnia canadensis. Two large-diameter Quercus muhlenbergii that dominate the tree layers are much older than the cohorts of Acer nigrum, Acer saccharum, Aesculus flava, and Fraxinus americana that have recruited more recently following extensive logging.