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
1000
m²
Plot Quality Fields:
Plot Validation Level
(2) classification plot: sufficient for inclusion in a classification revision
Overall Plot Vegetation Fields:
Tree Cover
80
%
Shrub Cover
5
%
Field Cover
80
%
Nonvascular Cover
1
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
This stand contained the most lush and intact vegetation observed on a reconnaissance trek along the state line between Ryder Gap and Paddy Knob. Alan Weakley had alleged that this five-mile ridgecrest supported a nearly uninterrupted stand of Carya ovata, but that report likely reflected an unfamiliarity with montane oak-hickory forests of the northern Blue Ridge. This stand does bear similarity to rich Quercus rubra - Carya forests of the Blue Ridge, except Acer saccharum forms a localized but dense and distinct subcanopy beneath the more open overstory of oak and hickory. The overrepresentation of Acer in the plot is a consequence of the conscious decision to limit the inclusion of a dominance patch of Laportea canadensis, which could have attained cover > 75% in each module with an alternative configuration. Numerous dead caterpillars are evident on tree boles, and a few adult male gypsy moths are present, but only minor herbivory is evident and it is most common on Carya.
0 - 1 - litter
1 - 2 - duff
2 - light to medium brown, very rocky, fine silty loam; soil from module 8 and the upper portion from module 9 is dark brown, is more moist, and evidently contains more organic matter
