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
10
m
Shrub Height
6
m
Field Height
9
m
Tree Cover
80
%
Shrub Cover
15
%
Field Cover
30
%
Nonvascular Cover
20
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
Plot in stunted beech forest on a flat, rocky summit of knob on Salt Pond Mountain, elev. about 4300 ft. The habitat has considerable moss and lichen cover on the exposed rocks, as well as much small woody debris. Some stunted northern red oak, hemlock, and yellow birch co-occur with the beech, which appears to consist largely of an even-age clone of similar-sized root suckers. These may have originated after a catastrophic disturbance such as clear-cutting or intense fire that killed back larger beech. The composition of this northern hardwood stand is quite unusual for the Salt Pond Mountain area (which has little or no beech elsewhere), as well as the Central Appalachian Blue Ridge and Ridge and Valley regions in general. It most closely resembles "beech gap" forests in the Southern Blue Ridge.
0-5 cm: deciduous leaf litter
5-10 cm: roots / OM
10+ cm: black sandy loam with fine white sand, also very stony
Very rocky substrate with soil and OM accumulations between rocks.
A
13.27
%
3.7
16.22
Disturbance Data:
Disturbance Type
Disturbance Intensity
Disturbance Comment
unknown
No adelgid noted on hemlocks. Leaf blight noted on one individual of Lilium superbum. Habitat likely cut-over long ago.
