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
50
%
Shrub Cover
15
%
Field Cover
50
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
This plot is located in a rocky, upper slope concavity on the extremely steep east flank of Middle Mountain. This the only major slope in the Alleghany Mountain/Laurel Fork/Middle Mountain area which is uniformly dipping, dissected by a strong trellis pattern of drainages, and vegetated primarily by oak forest typical of the Ridge and Valley province. This plot represents a mesic, nutrient rich type of forest typical of upper slope concavities and ravines. Here oaks (Quercus rubra and Q. montana) are joined by sugar maples (Acer saccharum) and pignut hickory (Carya glabra) in mixed stands. Herbaceous diversity in this community is fairly high, and features at least ten species not found in the northern hardwood communities of Middle Mountain and Allegheny Mountain. Because of extremely steep terrain, logging was probably limited on this slope, but the forest has been impacted by windthrows, chestnut blight and fire. Scars from at least two fire episodes were observed on the older trees in and near the plot.