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
Plot Quality Fields:
Plot Validation Level
(2) classification plot: sufficient for inclusion in a classification revision
Overall Plot Vegetation Fields:
Field Height
30
m
Tree Cover
50
%
Shrub Cover
7
%
Field Cover
90
%
Nonvascular Cover
1
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
This Quercus coccinea yellow pine-heath dominated community is very common in the shale country on round ridge crests and upper convex slopes with aspects in this plot that is common for this community, because the plot includes a bit of east facing slope, which is transitional to oak-hickory forest. This community is very similar to Quercus coccinea-yellow pine-heath communities on sandstone geologies, but peculiar to occurrence on shale is the importance of Cornus florida and Malus cf. coronaria. Quercus coccinea, Pinus rigida and Pinus pungens appear to avoid steeper slopes facing south and southwest in the shale country. The presence of Malus cf. coronaria is an artifact of plot placement and not characteristic of this community type in general.
Plot located on spur ridge crest ca. 300 ft northwest of high point (elevation 1788 ft) just west of Kimberlin Flat in shale lowlands.
Oi: 1-3 cm thick
Oe: 1-3 cm thick; dark brown; very densely packed with fine roots
Oa: 0.5-1 cm thick; light gray
A: depth 3 (7) - ?; light brown with red highlights, stony
Disturbance Data:
Disturbance Type
Disturbance Intensity
Disturbance Comment
unknown
Fire: charcoal on old stumps and stump sprouts. Trail: a few shrubs have been cut for a survey line.
unknown
Unexplained mortality of some trees and saplings. Drought?