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
1
m
Tree Cover
90
%
Shrub Cover
70
%
Field Cover
55
%
Nonvascular Cover
0.5
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
Plot captures an older oak-hickory forest dominated by Quercus rubra and Quercus alba in the 50 to 70 cm DBH range. Cercis canadensis and Carpinus caroliniana are both abundant understory trees, along with Carya sp. and Fraxinus americana. The herb layer is fairly lush, with high species richness. Oak recruitment is virtually absent in this stand; abundant Carya spp. and Fraxinus americana in the understory are poised to fill future canopy gaps and attain co-dominance in the stand.