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
100
m²
Plot Quality Fields:
Plot Validation Level
(2) classification plot: sufficient for inclusion in a classification revision
Overall Plot Vegetation Fields:
Tree Cover
50
%
Shrub Cover
50
%
Field Cover
15
%
Nonvascular Cover
65
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
The vegetation in this plot represents the driest, scrubbiest extreme of boulderfield on Mount Marshall. Trees are highly gnarled and fail to reach 10 m in height. Windthrows are frequent and the light demanding trees Sorbus americana and Prunus americana are common associates of Betula allegheniensis. Talus blocks in this habitats range up to car sized and abundance of rocks greatly limits herbaceous flora and overall species richness.
Plot location: Shenandoah NP. At SW end of the crest of North Marshall, just north of and adjacent to the Appalachian Trail on a steep greenstone boulderfield.