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
34
m
Shrub Height
6
m
Field Height
5
m
Tree Cover
60
%
Shrub Cover
12
%
Field Cover
50
%
Nonvascular Cover
5
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
Resample of 13-year old permanent plot. Corners are now monumented with rebar stakes painted light blue.
Since 2001, four overstory trees in this plot have died or blown down, including the 90 cm DBH Quercus montana tag tree. In addition, seven flowering dogwood trees have succumbed to anthracnose. This has resulted in a significant reduction of total woody stem density and basal area, as well as large gaps that together constitute a little more than half the canopy of the plot. The large increase in light reaching the forest floor, coupled with soil disturbances from falling trees, has led to an increase of overall species richness from 53 taxa in 2001 to 69 taxa in 2014 (the majority of newcomers being low-cover native forest herbs), as well as a notable increase of cover among deer-resistant graminoids, particularly Carex spp. Unfortunately, the species which have increased far more than others are Microstegium vimineum, which was absent in 2001 and now covers >25% of the plot; and Rubus phoenicolasius, which increased from <1% cover in 2001 to >10% cover in 2014. If the cover of these invasive species continues to increase, a future reduction in native herb diversity will be likely. Oak recruitment remains low to non-existent in and around the plot, with Acer rubrum and Fagus grandifolia showing a marked increase in the understory.
See soil chemistry and profile data of orginal plot BULL016P
Disturbance Data:
Disturbance Type
Disturbance Intensity
Disturbance Comment
unknown
Two large snags and extensive downed wood in plot. Very large increases of Microstegium vimineum and Rubus phoenicolasius since 2001. Minor deer browse.