Keller et al. 2023. Eastern Blind Brook exhibits healthier riparian forest structure than western Blind Brook
By Kayleigh Keller, Morgan DeMay, Indi Richardson, Robyn Graygor
Abstract
SUNY Purchase College has multiple riparian woodland plots throughout the campus which differ in both age and overall structure, however the ecological distribution of flora and fauna has been largely disrupted due to a series of land development projects. We conducted our fieldwork in two main sections of Blind Brook in order to compare differences in biodiversity and tree species evenness and richness on opposite sides of SUNY Purchase campus. We measured three plots in the riparian forest along the East branch and three plots along the West branch, where we identified, counted, and measured the diameter at breast height of each individual tree within each plot. Data collected within the study suggest that the East branch of Blind Brook has an overall healthier and more diverse and later-successional forest structure than that of the West branch, supporting our original hypothesis.