NJ Natural Heritage Program, NJDEP Division of Parks and Forestry, Office of Natural Lands Management, 22 S. Clinton Ave, Plaza Bldg 4, Fl. 4, PO Box 404 Trenton, NJ, 08625-0404
GPS readings for other 3 plot corners: 1-NW) 39.67783, -74.65640; 2-SE) 39.67778, -74.65638; 3-SW) 39.67779, -74.65640
Shape
Rectangular
Area
10
m²
Permanence
permanent plot
Layout Narrative
Transect endpoints are permanently marked with rebar. Distance and compass bearing measurements to the plot location with measurements of plot orientation off the transect were taken. GPS coordinates for corners of the plot were taken with submeter accuracy.; Plot located on S side of transect at 29-31m.
Environment Fields:
Elevation
6.1
m
Slope Aspect
(n/a, flat)
º
Slope Gradient
0
º
Topographic Position
Basin floor
Landscape Narrative
Soil Texture: Organic - muck.
Size: "Very large - long, linear savanna";
Abiotic Physical Factors: "Alluvial sand and shallow muck is stable - vegetation is so dense that flood events don't erode sediment base. Water quality is excellent.";
Condition of Surrounding Landscape = Pristine;
Local Topography Comments: Scattered low tussocks - mostly low (<5cm) relief;
Watershed: Batsto River
Overall Taxon Cover Values are Automatically Calculated?
no
Plot Quality Fields:
Plot Validation Level
(1) occurrence plot: sufficient for determining type occurrence
Overall Plot Vegetation Fields:
Shrub Cover
2.5
%
Field Cover
85
%
Nonvascular Cover
0.5
%
Dominant Stratum
Herb
Growthform1 Type
Graminoid
Growthform1 Cover
85
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
Community Type: Pine Barrens savanna
General Description: "Pitch pine-oak forest uplands with low relief dissected by rivers in the Mullica River Watershed. Within the Batsto River corridor are cedar swamps and savannas on the flat floodplain and cedar swamps or pitch pine lowland swamp on levees by river."; Community Description: "Pine barren savanna dominated by Rynchospora alba, R. cephalantha, Cladium mariscoides, Lophiola aurea, Muhlenbergia uniflora and Scleria reticularis. The savanna is predominantly this sedge type with shrub savanna and wet channels and pannes."; Evidence of Community Processes: "Flooding event (3-4" rain), browsing on cedar, some succession along edges, no evidence of recent fire, deer trails"; Species composition and Biological Structure: "Very high richness. 36 spp. in plot. Sp. distribution is even but dominance shifts with hydrology."; Ecological Processes: "Definite seasonal flooding and periodic flood events, groundwater dominated system which maintains conditions of saturation and/or flooding (depending on year - drought this year). Site within fire-dependent forest."; Environmental Comments: "recently flooded during storm event"; Other associated species present but not in plot: Xyris fimoriata, Rhynchospora oligantha, Drosera filiformis, Eleocharis tuberculosa, Schizaea pusilla (on cedar tussocks).
