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
400
m²
Plot Quality Fields:
Plot Validation Level
(2) classification plot: sufficient for inclusion in a classification revision
Overall Plot Vegetation Fields:
Field Height
1
m
Tree Cover
70
%
Shrub Cover
20
%
Field Cover
80
%
Nonvascular Cover
5
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
Plot captures mesophytic forest with extremely lush herb layer dominated by Polymnia canadensis, Hydrophyllum canadensis, Impatiens pallida, Cimicifuga racemosa, and Cystopteris bulbifera. Stand lacks the high species richness characteristic of communities sampled along Big Cedar Creek, but boasts an herb stratum that exceeds 1 m in height later in the growing season. Slope is very steep, and loose colluvium and moist organic matter make footing treacherous. Plot was limited to 400 sq. m because of strongly concave landform; plot includes most homogeneous and easily samplable vegetation of this type yet observed on this slope, although Rawinski managed to sample same stand farther downslope. Northwestern end of plot (modules 8 and 9) inevitably captures portion of extensive canopy gap, but this appears to have little influence on plot composition.