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
10
%
Field Cover
70
%
Nonvascular Cover
30
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
A strongly Quercus montana-dominated, stunted oak-pine/heath forest on a steep, more or less narrow, higher elevation spur ridge crest on the northwest side of the northern main Peters Mountain ridge. This is a persistent, old growth community: the stunted canopy Quercus montana trees are 200-300 years old, and it occurs consistently on this repeating landform unit. Fire is or has been important in this community, but it evidently has not killed canopy hardwoods and promoted pine dominance as has evidently occurred on the steeper southwest slopes of the spur ridges (see plot GJNF342). This community is similar in tree and shrub composition to that on the less steep southwest slopes of the spur ridges and on triangular dip slope "flatirons" into which some of spur ridges widen out. However, on the narrow ridge crest duff is thinner and there are more mineral soil exposures, and thus the herb and moss flora are richer than is common in the southeast slope forests. Both Quercus rubra and Calamagrostis porteri are characteristic of the higher elevation. A common species in this community in general, but missing from this plot is Amelanchier arborea. Castanea dentata appears to have been a minor canopy associate formerly.
Plot located 1.7 mi southeast of Hematite, on crest of steep spur ridge.
