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 Cover
70
%
Shrub Cover
70
%
Field Cover
70
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
This ravine bottom supports a rather young forest with current canopy of Liriodendron tulipifera. An abundance of Fagus grandifolia in the subcanopy and shrub layers suggests successional change toward dominance of that species. The herbaceous layer of this stand is truly remarkable, not only for its contribution to the plots high species richness (n=85), but also for its phenomenal population of Hydrastis canadensis, which is not known elsewhere on this part of the Blue Ridge. This population along Nicholson Run is massive, containing more than one million individuals, many of them exceptionally robust. The ecological factors favoring such an occurrence of Hydrastis here are unclear, since the site does not appear to be as rich as many of the sites favored by this species.
Eastern slope of the Blue Ridge near Whites Gap. Plot located on toe slope / high terrace along Nicholson Run, 0.15 mi north of its confluence with Lady Slipper Run and just west of FR 76 (Jordan Road).