Intensive 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
25
m
Shrub Height
4
m
Field Height
2
m
Tree Cover
40
%
Shrub Cover
2
%
Field Cover
10
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
Much of Parramore Island burned in a fire that covered ca. 1500 acres in September and October 2002. This portion of Italian Hill (ca. 3 ha?) evidently experienced less intense heat. Nearly the entire canopy remains intact. Scorch marks extend generally 2.5-3 m up boles, and most higher foliage is still green. Vegetation here is overwhelmingly dominated by loblolly pine; largely absent are the scattered Prunus, Ilex and larger Persea which are characteristic of much of Italian Hill. Understory Persea (0.5-2 m tall) was almost altogether killed in this stand. It appears that there had been a prior disturbance event (perhaps the previous fire, in 1987) which had resulted in a pulse of pine recruitment. Much of this regeneration was killed by last year's fire. Leaf litter is nearly continuous. Scattered pits 0.3-1 m deep represent the remnants of pine stumps that smoldered and were eventually consumed. Unmaintained ATV trail abuts plot near stake H, which lies barely in path, which is well marked by dense Carex.
NOTE: In tree diameter data PINUSP01, PERSSP01, and SMILSP01 refer to dead stems of Pinus taeda, Persea palustris, and Smilax spp., respectively; by necessity these acronyms appear in dummy records in woody cover data. Persea palustris likely had 2-5% cover before fire.
GPF NOTE: dead stems of Pinus sp., Persea sp., and Smilax sp. removed from Tree Diameter Data table. The data are given here:
PINUS SP. 0-1 cm: 22 stems, 1-2.5 cm: 46 stems, 2.5-5 cm: 37 stems, 5-10 cm: 5 stems, 10-15 cm: 1 stem, 15-20 cm: 1 stem, 20-25 cm: 1 stem; PERSEA SP. 0-1 cm: 9 stems, 1-2.5 cm: 4 stems, 2.5-5 cm: 4 stems; SMILAX SP. 0-1 cm: 42 stems.
0-1 - pine leaf litter
1-2 - fine charcoal and scorched needles
2- light to medium brown to gray (soil in module 9 is darker gray), fairly moist sand; soil becomes lighter brown with depth; moisture increases below ~50 cm and soil is wet sand by 1 m
