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
12
m
Field Height
5
m
Tree Cover
20
%
Shrub Cover
5
%
Field Cover
25
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
An small and apparently singular example of pine-oak maritime dune woodland at Savage Neck NAP. Stand, which is perhaps only 0.15 ha, is bordered on the east by back edge of dunes and maritime mixed forest, to the west and south by transition to more open Pinus taeda / Hudsonia tomentosa vegetation, and to the north by "saddle" in dune system and concavities such as that occupied by Custis Pond. Smilax glauca is similarly abundant on the west side of this secondary dune system, before maritime scrub grades into dune grassland, but vegetation there is more evidently disturbed, and trees are more densely spaced, are taller, and have more closed crowns. Most individuals in this stand - P. taeda and especially the oaks - have growth form which suggests long period of open growth; most Quercus falcata individuals are multibranched and bifurcate near base, suggesting stump sprouting. Fire scars are evident on many boles, and scorch marks were noted on cored tree. Stand structure strongly resembles that of pine/oak sandhill woodlands. Pine litter and duff abound, belying relatively low canopy cover. Virtual absence of reindeer moss in this stand (and that captured by plot SAVA003P) is noteworthy. Small patch of Gaylussacia baccata is present just outside plot to the north, beneath open Sassafras albidum, Ilex opaca, Q. stellata, and Q. falcata. Herb species are altogether absent.
0 - 2 - pine and oak leaf litter and duff
2 - 17 - light gray, moist sand, with abundant fine organic matter
17 - light tan-brown sand, similarly moist, with lenses of different hues (from orange-brown to dark gray) throughout profile
