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
From Roberts Rd. and Holmdel Rd. in Holmdel, go N on Roberts Rd. to a gated dirt road on the right (before the intersection of Longstreet Rd.). Follow dirt road then follow field edges to stepp drop off to stream.
Latitude/longitude coordinates taken from approximate plot center. Plot is 20x20m.
Environment Fields:
Elevation
27.7
m
Slope Aspect
270
º
Slope Gradient
0
º
Topographic Position
Low level
Landscape Narrative
General Landscape Description: Narrow floodplain located between Hop Brook to the W and an open, mowed field (Lucent Tech.) to the E. On the W bank of the stream is a very narrow floodplain which grades almost immediately into a steep slope which flattens at the edge of a farm field. The W bank is broader, dominated by Acer negundo, A. rubrum and Carya cordiformis. A second tiny stream runs parallel to Hop Brook.;
Soil Texture: Organic - peat; Mineral - sandy loam, sandy clay loam
Von Post scale of peat decomposition: H4;
Organic Soil Horizon Type: Mor.
Physiographic Province: Inner Coastal Plain
Overall Taxon Cover Values are Automatically Calculated?
no
Stem Observation Area
400
m²
Plot Quality Fields:
Plot Validation Level
(1) occurrence plot: sufficient for determining type occurrence
Overall Plot Vegetation Fields:
Dominant Stratum
Tree
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
Community Type: non-tidal floodplain forest
General Description: Floodplain forest with mixed hardwood species. In the area near the stream mostly Acer negundo and Carya cordiformis; then Acer rubrum further away from the stream. Forest is located between Hop Brook to the S and a short band of wet meadow and Phragmites that defines the boundary of the Lucent Tech. property to the N. An unnamed narrow stream parallels Hop Brook and is ~40m away. Floodplain between the two streams is overrun with invasive herbaceous species; beyond the second stream the forb layer is dominated by Symplocarpus foetidus and has few invasive species. This section is muddy - forward section is high and dry - little evidence of flooding except for some silt deposits near edge of Hop Brook. Soil appears to be silt loam at the surface.; Evidence of Community Processes: silt deposits on lowest terrace - uprooted trees at stream edge, scouring at stream edge.; General Comments: Grape vines (Vitis spp.) are so overgrown in this plot that the vines are covering the canopy and snapping the smaller trees from excessive weight. Several vines exceed 10 cm DBH.; Community Description: Floodplain forest on a low terrace on the W bank of the N-S running Hop Brook.Hop Brook is shallow, realtively fast-moving, and pebble bottomed. Residue on the pebbles indicates root presence in the soil. Floodplain has a silty bar on the stream side and on the W crosses another unnamed stream (straight orientation suggests man-made) before grading into a mucky Symplocarpus and Impatiens-dominated backswamp. Silt deposits are found on the very edge of the flood plain, as well as some flood borne debris. Trees are mostly Carya cordiformis with an understory of Acer negundo. Forb layer is mostly Alliaria petiolata, with some Geum canadense and Hackelia virginiana. Top layer of site is mostly worm casings and has a high pH of 6.6. Below is clay loam grading into sandy loam with red and gray mottles. NOTE: where earthworms have been digesting the soil, there is no Microstegium vimineum, which forms lush patches where there is no worm activity.; Wood thrush, white-eyed vireo, deer, rabbit, ebony jewelwing damselflies and cabbage white butterflies are present.
