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
32
m
Shrub Height
6
m
Field Height
5
m
Tree Cover
90
%
Shrub Cover
90
%
Field Cover
70
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
Plot is located on a toe slope and narrow high terrace along the North Meherrin River. The portion of the plot located by the river floods occasionally, but vegetation composition is uniform throughout. Plot was sampled before full leaf-out of woody plants, so cover estimates (assessed as if plants were fully leafed) are somewhat tentative. Vegetation is a mixed, mesophytic forest in which Acer barbatum is prevelent in all woody layers. However, many other trees occur, and a 1000 sq. m. releve was sampled to ensure that an adequate representation of species was obtained. The overstory is composed of a various mixture of apparently even-aged Acer barbatum, Fraxinus americana, Carya cordiformis, Liriodendron tulipifera, and Fagus grandifolia. Acer barbatum greatly dominates the sub-canopy tree layers, and Asimina triloba dominates the shrub layer. A nearly continuous colony of Podophyllum peltatum characterized the spring herbaceous flora. This area was traversed in August 2007; at that time herbs were sparse and the cover of Asimina triloba was extremely dense in most places.
