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 Height
20
m
Shrub Height
4
m
Field Height
6
m
Tree Cover
50
%
Shrub Cover
15
%
Field Cover
40
%
Nonvascular Cover
2
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
A spectacular stand of Piedmont Hardpan Forest appeared somewhat less outstanding upon further examination. Nevertheless this plot represents the prevailing and fairly diverse vegetation on the eastern side of a gentle ridge, where soils may be somewhat deeper and shrink-swell influence less. Physiognomy is truly forest, although the canopy is interrupted; under a regime of more frequent fire, stand would likely be much more open. Had time permitted the sampling of a second plot, the western side of the ridge would have offered an insightful contrast. In that portion of the stand, the vegetation is perhaps more typical of this ecological community group; the canopy is lower, Quercus marilandica is a much more important understory constituent, and Piptochaetium avenaceum is the only abundant ground-layer species. This plot is the first in Virginia to include Carya carolinae-septentrionalis. GPS lost battery power, but plot location was approximated from GPS point from previous visit.
0 - 2 - leaf litter
2 - 8 - 0 horizon: duff and undecomposed organic matter
8 - variably moist, evidently poorly drained, silty clay loam with abundant rock fragments; could not penetrate soil below ca. 20 cm to determine if hardpan present
