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
30
m
Shrub Height
6
m
Field Height
5
m
Tree Cover
90
%
Shrub Cover
25
%
Field Cover
25
%
Nonvascular Cover
0.5
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
Plot location: ca. 40 meters W of Rt. 640 at a point 0.7 km N of jct. with Rt. 636.
This plot is located in a slightly concave ridge-crest saddle which appears to be somewhat more mesic than the site of plot ABSF013, which is located on a convex part of the crest about 150 meters to the south. Quercus alba dominates the overstory here; Quercus montana is still common, and ericads form patchier, less continuous colonies. The vegetation is significantly more species-rich than ABSF013, though still rather depauperate by absolute standards. This stand is a fragment of undisturbed forest among thinned and clear-cut areas. It is being actively invaded by Nyssa sylvatica and Acer rubrum, which have attained exceedingly high densities in the understory. The probable reason for this compositional shift is a prolonged absence of fire.
