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 Cover
70
%
Shrub Cover
70
%
Field Cover
90
%
Nonvascular Cover
50
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
The habitat is a headwaters stream bottom characterized by a complex of braided seeps and stream channels. Although underlying bedrock is charnockite, a granitic rock, much of the site is covered with stony colluvium from upslope metabasaltic greenstone. Plants such as Fraxinus nigra, Dirca palustris and Carex bromoides probably reflect basic influences of the latter substrate. Because of the irregular heterogeneous hummock and hallow microhabitats here, a sizeable number of upland terrestrial mesophytes are present, adding greatly to species richness.
Plot location: Shenandoah NP. Along the headwaters of Pocosin Hollow, ca. 0.25 mi. north of the jct. of Pocosin Fire Road and trail down Pocosin Hollow. Plot located west of the trail in the ravine bottom.
A= heterogeneous within plot. Area of medium brown, friable loam with many small stones on hummocks. Loamy gravel, gravel or cobble deposits in stream channels.