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
35
m
Shrub Height
5
m
Field Height
5
m
Tree Cover
70
%
Shrub Cover
25
%
Field Cover
30
%
Nonvascular Cover
10
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
Plot location: flatwoods ca. 0.2 km WNW of jct. Rtes. 623 and 624.
This site is a very shallow, seasonally flooded depression ca. 0.2 ha in size with pronounced hummock-and-hollow microtopography. It probably has a relatively short or irregular hydroperiod and was long drawn down on the date of sampling. Large Quercus phellos up to 77 cm DBH dominate the overstory in an open stand. Shrub and herb layers are somewhat sparse; Carex albolutescens is the most abundant herb and probably dominates the early summer aspect. Hummocks support a number of upland xerophytes, including Juniperus virginiana, Danthonia spicata, Potentilla canadensis, and Vaccinium stamineum, by allowing them to root well above the perched groundwater. UPDATE: This site was clearcut in 2007.