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
1000
m²
Plot Quality Fields:
Plot Validation Level
(2) classification plot: sufficient for inclusion in a classification revision
Overall Plot Vegetation Fields:
Tree Height
28
m
Shrub Height
6
m
Field Height
1
m
Tree Cover
80
%
Shrub Cover
40
%
Field Cover
90
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
A beautiful, mature, Quercus palustris-dominated backswamp covering ca. 1.5 ha along the South Anna River. A 1000 sq. m. releve was sampled to capture the full range of variation. The stand is somewhat savanna-like, with an open understory and dense herb layer dominated by sedges, particularly Carex typhina, C tribuloides, C. louisianica, and C. lupulina. Ludwigia palustris patch-dominates linear drainage channels that are flooded for longer periods. There is little recruitment of overstory oaks in the stand; Liquidambar styraciflua, Ulmus americana, Acer rubrum, and Fraxinus pennsylvanica are the principal understory trees.
Fauna community: broad headed skink and tree frog calls.
-1000mz plot to capture canopy diversity.
Forested floodplain with scattered large Quercus palustris. Younger portions of stand lack large oaks and are dominated by Liquidambar styraciflua and Acer rubrum with higher frequency of Betula nigra and Platanus occidentalis. Field layer is dense (graminoid dominated) with robust Carexes - many species. Open shrub layer. Regeneration of Quercsu species in field and shrub layers.
Composite sample of 3.
0-2 cm - loose deciduous leaf litter
2-7 cm - organic humus
7+ cm - heavy gray clay with orange mottling
Disturbance Data:
Disturbance Type
Disturbance Intensity
Disturbance Comment
unknown
Lysimachia nummularia grows in large patches along slough margins where Triodenum tubulosum grows. Adjacent to large clearcut area that is adjacent to the South Anna River.
Nursery operations upslope with irrigation and possibility of fertilizer/herbicide runoff. No apparent effects on plant community.
