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
32
m
Shrub Height
6
m
Field Height
8
m
Tree Cover
85
%
Shrub Cover
55
%
Field Cover
8
%
Nonvascular Cover
40
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
The plot captures an acidic cove forest in a bouldery swale and fan complex along Straight Branch, just upstream from its confluence with Whitetop Laurel Creek. Large red oaks are present throughout the area, along with occasional Tilia americana var. heterophylla and Aesculus flava which suggest enhanced soil fertility. Hemlocks are relatively sparse in this particular cove. A long, narrow plot configuration, positioned at the edge of a slight break in the otherwise continuous Rhododendron maximum cover, made this plot feasible.
Soil inaccessible in most of plot;
thin litter and humus prevalent;
pockets of medium brown, organic-rich sandy loam (probably colluvial or alluvial) present locally between boulders and stones.