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:
Shrub Height
4
m
Field Height
3
m
Tree Cover
70
%
Shrub Cover
30
%
Field Cover
20
%
Nonvascular Cover
3
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
Vegetation seems representative of second-growth oak/ericad forest with relatively little pine on upland sandy sites at Chotank Creek NAP. Gaylussacia frondosa, which is strongly characteristic of sites such as this on the northern Coastal Plain, forms a patchy and discontinuous low shrub layer and here mixes with G. baccata. Distinguishing early senescent foliage of the two species in the dimming light of late afternoon proved problematic. Most overstory individuals in this stand likely recruited following thinning 30-40 yr ago; scattered larger trees suggest that stand had not been clearcut. Although Quercus falcata is a constant component of this community type, the distribution and density of other oaks (chiefly Q. alba and Q. velutina) varies considerably.
