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
25
m
Shrub Height
6
m
Field Height
5
m
Tree Cover
90
%
Shrub Cover
70
%
Field Cover
4
%
Nonvascular Cover
0.5
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
Resample of 13-year old permanent plot. Corners are now monumented with rebar stakes painted light blue.
There has been little change in this stand since 2001. Floristic composition in 2014 is very similar (Epigaea repens, Cypripedium acaule, and a seedling of Diospyros virginiana have disappeared from the plot), while woody stem density and basal area have increased somewhat as expected. The density of Kalmia latifolia stems is identical between the two samples, and none of the branch die-back commonly observed elsewhere on Bull Run Mountain is present. Due to the absence of pine recruitment, a future outbreak of southern pine beetles could very quickly turn the stand into a Quercus montana - Nyssa sylvatica Forest.
