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:
Field Height
2
m
Tree Cover
15
%
Shrub Cover
5
%
Field Cover
1
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
Southern end of the back dune system at Savage Neck supports an exemplary stand of maritime dune woodland. Vegetation consists of mosaic of open sand patches colonized by scattered individuals of graminoids and Hudsonia tomentosa and islands covered with litter and duff surrounding broad-crowned Pinus taeda. Panicum amarum appears altogether absent from rolling open dunes and is confined here to ascending portion of inland-most back dune (before vegetation grades to maritime mixed forest) beneath P. taeda. Full 0.1 ha plot sampled in order to capture sufficiently large sample of pines; even so, a 150% supersample may have been warranted. Several P. taeda in this stand have distinctly flat-topped crowns and merit further examination to determine age. This plot represents a classic example of the Pinus taeda / Hudsonia tomentosa woodland, a vegetation type chiefly restricted to the Delmarva Peninsula, north of the range of Quercus virginiana.
From flagged, flat-topped Pinus taeda (65 cm dbh): 14.8 m @ 75 deg to Stake A.
1 - pine duff and partially decomposed organic matter
1 - 3 - dry, fine white sand with specks of fine organic matter
3 - somewhat moist, darker brown, somewhat more coarse sand
