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
33
m
Shrub Height
6
m
Field Height
5
m
Tree Cover
90
%
Shrub Cover
20
%
Field Cover
25
%
Nonvascular Cover
1
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
Plot location: slope ca. 130 meters east of Catletts Branch and just north of powerline right of way, 1.8 km S of Hopewell Gap. Marked with a metal tree tag. See form/report for sketch. Rock types present: small flaggy quartzite/ muscovite schist fragments.
Quercus alba and Liriodendron tulipifera co-dominate this medium-age forest, which also contains some Carya glabra, Quercus montana, and Quercus rubra (outside the plot). Soils on this slope have relatively high silt content and appear to be weathered from phyllite. Cornus florida was formerly a dominant small tree/shrub, but has nearly been eliminated by the introduced fungal pathogen, dogwood anthracnose. This stand is also characterized by a rather diverse herb layer with surprisingly low and patchy cover, perhaps the result of repeated herbivory by white-tailed deer. Grazing damage was noted on several species here, including Cornus florida, Geranium maculatum, Solidago caesia, Eurybia divaricata, Carex digitalis var. digitalis, Carex laxiculmis var. laxiculmis, Hylodesmum nudiflorum, and Polygonatum biflorum var. biflorum.
Soil Nutrient Status: medium.
Duff layer variable, from none to ca. 2 cm.
Humus averages ca. 1 cm where present.
A = Silt loam, yellowish to gray, very stony.
Physical Analysis (A-Horizon): 2% clay, 52% silt, 46% sand.
Disturbance Data:
Disturbance Type
Disturbance Intensity
Disturbance Comment
unknown
Minor gypsy moth defoliation; some egg masses present. Several dogwood snags in plot. Heavy deer grazing.