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
23
m
Shrub Height
6
m
Field Height
2
m
Tree Cover
95
%
Shrub Cover
30
%
Field Cover
90
%
Nonvascular Cover
5
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
Plot is located west of the "Swamp Trail" and is positioned in the wetter central part of a large forested wetland. The site is located on a bedrock terrace above the Potomac River and likely represents an oxbow of a Pleistocene channel of the river. Abundant groundwater draining through adjacent slopes on both sides is apparently forced to the surface by the underlying bedrock stratigraphy of the terrace (A.H. Fleming, pers. comm.). This is one of the largest seepage swamps in the Virginia Piedmont, covering approximately 25 acres. Symplocarpus foetidus dominates the vernal aspect of the herb layer while Saururus cernuus assumes dominance in the summer. This site may be inundated by rare, catastrophic (100-year class) floods. Mean groundwater pH (6 samples) = 5.75. Mean groundwater temperature (deg. C, 6 samples) = 14.41.
Litter is sparse to absent, except on shrub-base hummocks. A thin organic muck horizon is present over most of the plot. The A horizon consists of a light brown, organic-rich, mucky silt.
Disturbance Data:
Disturbance Type
Disturbance Intensity
Disturbance Comment
unknown
Microstegium vimineum is abundant on drier hummocks of this swamp, as well as in better-drained low ground adjacent. Heavy deer herbivory on Osmunda cinnamomea, Impatiens capensis, and Cardamine pensylvanica.
unknown
Old berm present runs through upper part of swamp (located just east of plot). Another old road berm crosses the swamp downstream, and drainage is impeded for a short distance by an inadequate drain pipe though the berm.