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
2.5
m
Field Height
5
m
Tree Cover
80
%
Shrub Cover
7
%
Field Cover
1
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
Directions to Plot: N on Route 24 from West Park entrance. First left past Park entrance; approx. 500 m before main visitor center entrance. Follow road approx. 0.7 mi to Moon House on Tibb's Property. Pond is about 60m, 300 degrees (N) from back of house. Plot is in center of Pond.
Sample is in a depression pond dominated by Fraxinus pennsylvanica and Acer rubrum with invasion by Acer saccharinum. Field layer is mostly woody seedlings of Fraxinus pennsylvanica, Toxicodendron radicans, and Parthenocissus quinquefolia with clumps of Cephalanthus occidentalis reporting after drought. Clumps of Carex species are scattered. Survey followed several years of drought and species composition may be altered from wetter years. Water mark on trees at lowest point is 42 cm.
Surrounding pond is successional vegetation with Juglans nigra, Acer saccharinum, Juniperus virginiana, and Symphoricarpos orbiculatus. Shallow ditch in pond may indicate drainage was attempted in the past.
0-1 cm leaf litter/ root mat; 1 cm heavy clay with mottling
Disturbance Data:
Disturbance Type
Disturbance Intensity
Disturbance Comment
unknown
Adjacent to agricultural field. Probably a natural depression in the past that was artificially deepened or drained for use as an ice pond. Shallow ditch in pond.
