Richardson et al. 2023. Old growth riparian forest at Purchase College exhibits higher tree species richness, evenness and DBH than younger growth forest
By Indi Richardson, Robyn Graygor, Morgan DeMay, Kayleigh Keller
Abstract
Riparian forests worldwide are threatened by invasive species, land development and climate change. It’s important to protect these forests because of their ecological significance. Riparian forests provide habitats, cycle nutrients, retain water and alleviate land use influences. When faced with disturbances, riparian forests aren’t equipped to perform these important functions. Younger forests are more vulnerable to these disruptions as they are in earlier stages of succession compared to older forests. At Purchase College, forest fragmentation, land development, and invasive species have threatened the riparian forests along Blind Brook. We measured the species evenness, richness, and diameter at breast height (DBH) values at east and west sites to compare the differences in young and old growth riparian forests given the anthropogenic disturbances on campus. The east site consists of old growth forest, while the west site consists of younger growth forest. We found that the old growth east site exhibits higher tree species richness, evenness, and DBH than the younger growth west forest. Additionally, the east site hosts more native tree species than the west site which hosts several invasive tree species. This is important information for the monitoring and protection of riparian forests at Purchase College and worldwide.