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
9
m
Shrub Height
4
m
Field Height
7
m
Tree Cover
50
%
Shrub Cover
20
%
Field Cover
25
%
Nonvascular Cover
15
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
This plot is situated in a classic shale barren woodland dominated by extremely stunted Pinus virginiana and herbaceous xerophytes. The slope here is steep due to stream incision, and has scattered shale outcrops and a nearly continuous mantle of fine, unstable channery. Two strict shale endemics, Eriogonum allenii and Packera antennariifolia are present in large numbers. Unfortunately, several large Ailanthus trees growing in the more mesic forest below the barren have dispersed seed upslope, resulting over time in a number of thickets of short, drought-stunted Ailanthus on the barren proper.