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:
Field Height
1
m
Tree Cover
70
%
Shrub Cover
10
%
Field Cover
30
%
Nonvascular Cover
70
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
This wetland, though scarcely 50 by 10 m in size, is in fact one of the larger Carex trisperma seeps to be found in the Shenandoah Mountain area. Plot shape is rectangular rather than circular to conform with the shape of this narrow community. Trees tend to be rooted on elevated hummocks or organic material formed by preceding generations of trees. Those trees rooted in the perennially saturated, mucky mineral soil are prone to windthrow. Continuous seepage of presumably extremely acidic water promotes the growth of thick Sphagnum mats and along the rivulet, Mnium cf. punctatum. Relatively small snags of Pinus strobus and P. pungens occur in the plot. These trees evidently become established after the large fire of 60-70 years ago, but could not compete with the dense stand of Tsuga canadensis in this nutrient-poor wetland.
The diameter of one three-stemmed Tsuga canadensis was difficult to measure. The reported value of 84 cm encompasses all three stems; if one accounts for the air spaces between the stems, a more realistic value would be ca. 60 cm.
Plot located near the upper reaches of Little Laurel Run; site shown on topographic map as a NNE-facing gully at elevation 3440 ft.
Area burned about 60 years ago; abundant fire scars on old snags. Trees prone to wind throw on these wet soils. Heavy glaze, in addition to wind, may also cause leaning or treefall.
