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
32
m
Shrub Height
6
m
Field Height
7
m
Tree Cover
85
%
Shrub Cover
90
%
Field Cover
2
%
Nonvascular Cover
3
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
Resample of 13-year old permanent plot. Corners are now monumented with rebar stakes painted light blue.
Both Tsuga canadensis trees that were present in the 2001 sample are now dead. Much of the rest of the tree composition remains the same, with strong growth that has increased the stand basal area considerably. The number of measureable (> 2.5 cm DBH) stems of Rhododendron maximum has increased dramatically from 69 in 2001 to 169 in 2014. The tremendous growth of this species over the last 13 years has increased deep shading in the ravine bottom and possibly contributed to the reduction of species richness from 30 taxa to 19. However, some of the species that have disappeared were low-cover herbs and shrubs on which heavy deer browse damage was noted in 2001, leading to a suspicion that herbivory has contributed to this decline.
