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 Height
17
m
Shrub Height
6
m
Field Height
5
m
Tree Cover
70
%
Shrub Cover
2
%
Field Cover
65
%
Nonvascular Cover
0.5
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
Plot represents short, open oak-hickory forests occupying the uppermost slopes of knobs on Brushy Mountain that have reddish, erosive shale at the surface. The dominant Quercus montana and Carya ovalis are stunted and gnarled from shallow soils and ice and wind exposure, and many have butt rot that may have resulted from old fire scars. The herb layer is characterized by a mosaic of low, deciduous heath patches and graminoid-dominated patches dominated by Carex pensylvanica. The sampled stand contains more of the latter and is somewhat savanna-like. However, associated forbs are very stunted from deer herbivory.