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
90
%
Shrub Cover
70
%
Field Cover
50
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
Plot is located in a mesic ravine of highly dissected uplands bordering the Roanoke River (now Kerr Reservoir). The forest vegetation here has been undisturbed for at least 50 years (date when the land was acquired by US Army COE), and probably longer. Trees are tall and well formed, with good recruitment in lower layers. Huge numbers of Fagus and Acer barbatum seedlings dominate the forest floor. The presence of spp. Such as Cercis canadensis, Asimina triloba, Aesculus sylvatica, Desmodium pauciflorum and Ruellia purshiana suggests at least minor influence from basic mineral in the underlying granitic formation.