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:
Tree Cover
90
%
Shrub Cover
20
%
Field Cover
5
%
Nonvascular Cover
1
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
An unusual (in the Virginia mountains) upland old growth Quercus alba-dominated forest in what is effectively the littoral zone of a seasonally flooded bench depression. Representative watermarks on trees are at 32, 44 and 50 cm. Very sparse herb layer and no low (<2 m) shrubs. This forest surrounds the herbaceous community in the deeper center of the depression. Flooding occurs in the early spring at least, judging from April aerial photos. Virtual absence of hydrophytic vegetation strongly suggests that well drained conditions exist most of the growing season.
Plot located ca. 1.6 mi east of Iron Hill Springs, ca. 1800 ft northwest of FR 350, and just west of new Forest Service road built since 1994; 15 m S67E of 81-cm Quercus alba, the more southeasterly of two biggest individuals in vicinity 6 ft apart.
