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
25
m
Shrub Height
6
m
Field Height
5
m
Tree Cover
90
%
Shrub Cover
70
%
Field Cover
8
%
Nonvascular Cover
2
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
Plot is located directly downslope toward river from picnic table and horse tie-up on ridge between Difficult Run and the Potomac River. The vegetation is a stunted, Quercus montana-dominated forest with dense Kalmia latifolia shrub layer. The relatively steep (18 degree) slope in the plot abruptly plunges into a nearly vertical cliff at downslope end. Understory tree layers are overwhelmingly dominated by sapling Acer rubrum and Nyssa sylvatica. Soils are extremely acidic and infertile; no evidence of basic soils that would be expected from the mapped amphibolite substrate was found. Few herbaceous plants occur in this habitat.
