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
38
m
Shrub Height
5
m
Field Height
5
m
Tree Cover
70
%
Shrub Cover
75
%
Field Cover
80
%
Nonvascular Cover
0.5
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
The plot is located on a slope fronting the Potomac River floodplain in Riverbend Park. The forest here is much "richer" in appearance that most other mesic forests of Riverbend Park; uncharacteristically high calcium and magnesium levels in soils samples and the presence of nutrient-demanding species such as Carex careyana, Allium tricoccum, Dicentra canadensis, and Hydrophyllum canadense quantify this difference. The overstory is dominated by very tall and mature Fagus grandifolia and Liriodendron tulipifera. In the summer, this site has a very dense shrub growth of Asimina triloba. In the spring, Claytonia virginica carpets much of the ground.
Many downed trees and woody debris from Hurricane Isabel are present just outside of the plot. Veronica hederifolia is an abundant exotic in the spring.