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 Height
30
m
Shrub Height
6
m
Field Height
5
m
Tree Cover
90
%
Shrub Cover
35
%
Field Cover
65
%
Nonvascular Cover
0.5
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
Plot was sampled to document a beautiful, medium-age mesophytic forest occupying a tributary ravine of Hogan Creek near the Roanoke River. Underlying bedrock is Abbeyville Gabbro and soils are high in calcium and magnesium content. Acer barbatum is dominant in every tree layer, although Carya ovata, Carya ovalis, Fraxinus americana, Liquidambar styraciflua, Quercus alba, Q. rubra, and Ulmus alata are also present in the overstory. The open shrub layer consists mostly of tree saplings. Podophyllum peltatum dominates the spring herbaceous aspect, along with other ephemerals such as Claytonia virginica and Cardamine concatenata.