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
31
m
Field Height
1
m
Tree Cover
80
%
Shrub Cover
10
%
Field Cover
20
%
Nonvascular Cover
1
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
Vegetation is structurally similar to much of the prevailing vegetation along the crests of ridges at Pedlar Hills NAP: tall canopy, very few stems < 10 m tall, and a paucity of herbaceous species. This pattern is likely the result of a long history of intensive grazing. This stand differs in that Acer saccharum is not the overwhelming dominant and that woody regeneration abounds in the herb stratum. Stand probably arose following or experienced logging or substantial thinning, given the dominance by Liriodendron tulipifera and the rapid growth of the single cored oak. Main axis of plot was not oriented perpendicular to the slope of this bench in order to minimize within-plot heterogeneity in microtopography. Local landscape is undulating and pocketed with small sinkholes. Evidence of disturbance includes a few snags, several leaning or bent understory trees, and dead individuals of Cornus florida. The identity of the oaks is somewhat enigmatic, but most appear to be Q. shumardii.
From trio of Liriodendron tulipifera (36, 44, and 43 cm dbh; smallest bole flagged): 12.2 m @ 83 deg to stake A.
Dark brown (lenses of orange in module 2), moist clay loam, with apparently very low silt or sand content; soil forms large clods; soil very deep with no evident horizon development
