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
32
m
Shrub Height
5
m
Field Height
1
m
Tree Cover
80
%
Shrub Cover
60
%
Field Cover
90
%
Nonvascular Cover
0.5
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
Plot was positioned in a linear zone along the edge of small stream floodplain where abundant groundwater discharge maintains permanently saturated conditions. Microtopography is characterized by irregular hummock and hollows, the latter with deep mucky soils. The vegetation is a somewhat open forest with relatively small trees, a moderately dense shrub layer, and a very dense ground layer dominated early in the growing season by Symplocarpus foetidus. The late-season aspect is dominated by Saururus cernuus and Impatiens capensis. Mean groundwater pH (4 samples) = 5.78. Mean groundwater temperature (deg. C, 4 samples) = 13.00.