Intensive 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
1000
m²
Plot Quality Fields:
Plot Validation Level
(2) classification plot: sufficient for inclusion in a classification revision
Overall Plot Vegetation Fields:
Tree Height
29
m
Shrub Height
6
m
Field Height
1
m
Tree Cover
40
%
Shrub Cover
5
%
Field Cover
15
%
Nonvascular Cover
5
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
Stand occupies swale of undetermined width. Plot located between upland edge and artificial ditch, the distance between which is ca. 30 m. Density of caespitose sedges is patchy and much higher in near end of plot, where it appears to correlate inversely with canopy cover. Overstory individuals in modules 1, 2, 9, and 10 (and adjacent portions of stand outside plot) consistently exhibit pronounced crown stress and some epicormic sprouting. Several snags are also present. No surface water present or water marks evident at time of sampling, but species composition; presence of Sphagnum, hummocks around tree bases, and caespitose sedges; and saturation of soil suggest seasonal flooding early in growing season.
From flagged Quercus phellos (60 cm; somewhat stressed, on hummock with smaller Liquidambar styraciflua): 3.4 m @ 90 deg to Stake A.
0 - 1 - litter
1 - 6 - gleyed, reduced, dark gray, saturated clay, with some lenses of oxidized material; soil becomes nearly pure clay with depth
33 - water table
