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
34
m
Tree Cover
90
%
Shrub Cover
25
%
Field Cover
90
%
Nonvascular Cover
1
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
This stand is noteworthy for its relatively high species richness and unusual structure. Acer saccharum dominates the very tall overstory, in conjunction with Acer rubrum, Liriodendron tulipifera, and Fagus grandifolia. A few very large Oxydendrum arboreum are also present, although only one occurs in the plot. Nearly absent are any stems between breast height and ca. 20 m. Acer saccharum seedlings abound, with cover > 25%, but most are < 1 m tall. At least two hypotheses could account for this phenomenon. One, a long history of intensive grazing may have virtually eliminated sapling recruitment (and possibly maintained high species richness). This hypothesis, however, is inconsistent with observations from Pedlar Hills NAP, where herbaceous diversity has evidently been severely reduced by overgrazing. Moreover, this stand lacks the weeds (most notably Verbesina) that are prevalent upslope where grazing has occurred more recently or continues. (Stand is proximate to grazed pasture; upper side of plot is 30-40 m below fenceline.) Two, an unusually intense ground fire several decades ago consumed all understory fuels and thin-barked small trees. Most trees in plot exhibit pronounced fire scars, some extending up to 5 m from base of bole. Several large stumps (60-80 cm) are present, many of which are charred. Coarse woody debris is relatively sparse. A large old gap present just beyond plot, and high light levels account for abundance of small saplings in modules 5 and 6. An old logging road runs along the slope < 20 m from lower edge of plot. Viola stricta, Aplectrum hyemale, and Trillium grandiflorum identified 2001-06-23.
From flagged Fagus grandifolia (42 cm dbh) in module 10: ca. 4.1 m @ 148 deg to stake A.
0 - 5 - leaf litter and duff
5 - 15 - dark brown, somewhat unconsolidated, fine clay loam, with abundant coarse colluvium
15 - lighter brown, more consolidated soil, with less colluvium
