Introduction

Our study will be conducted at the Merwin Nature Preserve. Many tribes used the area
about 1,700 to 2,100 years ago for various resources such as food and water. The Parklands
foundation, a conservation group based in Bloomington, obtained a plot of land in the 1960s that
is now the Mackinaw River State Fish & Wildlife Area. By releasing this land to the state, this
land has grown to hold 1448 acres, (Northwest Area).
A healthy forest should include decaying wood, which provides food and shelter (What
Does a Healthy Woodland Look Like?). Trees have a small range for soil favorability,
prospering when the soil contains a pH level ranging 6 to 6.5 There should be a constant
decaying process which places organic matter, a key component of the soil food web, in soil.
Evidence of macronutrients and micronutrients are also prevalent in soil, as trees need these to
stay healthy. The soil should not be heavily compacted as this will cause inadequate drainage,
depriving the plants of their nutrients. (Marritz, Leda). Forests that are able to recover rather
quickly from disturbances are deemed as healthy. Microclimates are needed to sustain all forms
of life in a forest. A healthy forest should possess the ability to sustain the unique species
composition and processes that exist within it. They should be dominated by trees and can
include signs of unhealthiness (What Is Forest Health). The communities within the forest should
include plants, animals, and microorganisms. The organisms should be able to adapt to all four
seasons, while the average temperature for the biome is 60 degrees F. 40 to 150 inches of rain
should fall each year.
We will attempt to determine if the forest is healthy by searching the forest for
microniches, signs of life, and evidence of different ages throughout the forest. If these factors
are prominent the forest can be deemed as healthy.

This graph represents monthly rainfall averages for Lexington IL, the closest city to the Merwin
Nature Preserve. The average rainfall in October is 3.19 inches.

This graph represents monthly temperature averages for Lexington IL. The average temperature
in October is 53.1 degrees F. The average high is 65 degrees F, while the average low is 41,2
degrees F.

Methods

In order to measure the health and biodiversity of Merwin Nature Preserves forest, we
will employ similar methods to those used in our prairie study. Four stakes will be placed around
10 meters from each other. String will be used to connect the stakes, forming a rectangular grid
called a quadrat. Any trees within our quadrat will have their height and diameter measured using
meter sticks, measuring tapes, and the guidelines provided by our handout. From there, the trees
will be identified by comparing them to the pictures on Schoology, and employing our own prior
knowledge and observations. The number of individual trees and tree species will be recorded in
our overall biodiversity chart. The health of trees will also be noted. Any unnatural damage and
severe patches of rot on otherwise healthy trees will be seen as detrimental. Trees with fungi,
lichens, and native insects will not be classified as unhealthy, as these organisms increase the
overall biodiversity and are welcomed. Once the number of healthy trees is compared to the
number of trees total, we will move on to measuring the overall biodiversity of our quadrat and
by extension, the forest in general. Just as our group sought out evidence of a complex and
complete food web in the prairie, we will do the same at Merwin. Examining the forest floor,
bark of the trees, the undergrowth of plants, and sub-soil environments, we will collect animal
and insect specimens, identifying both the species, and general ecological niche. Plants, fungi,
and lichens will not be collected, merely observed and identified with the aid of internet
resources. Once every type of organism in our quadrat has been accounted for, a potential food
web will be thought up, and predator/prey and herbivore/plant numbers will be tallied up to see if
the forests ecosystem is balanced.

Data

Data collected of trees diameter at breast height. Our group is group green. There was a
dominance is 0-5 cm. As diameter increased, than number of trees decreased.

Data of animals spotted. Our group is the green group. A small trend is that there is an abundance
of animals that stay close to the ground.

Conclusion
Over the course of our research trip, we collected a wide range of specimens and data in
hopes of learning more about the health and biodiversity of the Merwin Nature Preserve. What
we found was highly conclusive. The sheer number and diversity of organisms found beneath
moist logs and subsoil environments was astonishing; many were so obscure, they had to be
lumped into the miscellaneous category on our data sheet. Springtails were present in the largest
numbers, alongside a plethora of worms, centipedes, rather large millipedes, slugs, spiders, and
many beetles and their larvae. The logs under which they were found appeared to be in good
condition; the wood was moist and pliable, but not rotten, and the insides were riddled with
channels carved out by feeding activity. The surfaces of logs in our quadrat were all heavily
colonized by mosses and lichens, which exhibited green, full growth. The overall lack of foul
decaying or rotting matter, coupled with the lush mosses and high numbers of detritivores and
scavengers, points to a forest capable of producing enough organic matter to sustain large
quantities of scavengers, while also not producing so much to the point that it begins to pile up
and foul the environment. The balance between decay and regrowth is a telltale sign of a healthy
forest. Data we collected on our trees also helped reveal more about the health of Meriwn Nature
Preserve. Trees found in our quadrat tended to be a bit on the smaller side, as displayed in our
earlier charts. Pin Oaks made up the vast majority of trees, alongside Elms, which also happened
to be the tallest trees we found ( Upwards of 40 feet). Trees were widely spaced, with the only
dense vegetation being composed of shrubs and tangled masses of vine-like parasitic plants in

the undergrowth. These details, combined with the large quantity of fallen logs, leads us to
believe that our quadrat is rather young compared to others, having recently experienced some
sort of minor succession event. The larger logs are evidence that much taller trees once existed in
our area, having since been replaced with the newer, younger Pin Oaks and Elms. Succession
events are necessary to increase biodiversity, because the destruction of older habitats paves the
way for lush new ones to take over, allowing species that may not have thrived before to have
their time to shine. So, in light of the incredible subsoil biodiversity and evidence of succession,
we can conclude that, at least in our quadrat, Merwin Nature Preserve is perfectly healthy.

Works Cited

 "Northwest Area." Illinois Department of Natural Resources. N.p., n.d. Web. 4

Nov. 2015.
"What Does a Healthy Woodland Look Like?" Natural Forest Practice. N.p., n.d.
Web. 8 Nov. 2015.
Marritz, Leda. "SubscribeGreen Infrastructure." Green Infrastructure. N.p., 8
Sept. 2014. Web. 08 Nov. 2015.
"What Is Forest Health." North Carolina Forest Service. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Nov.
2015.

"Temperate Forest." Temperate Forest. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Nov. 2015.