The Future of Peabody Woods (age structure - 2nd draft)

This article submitted by [e-mailto: ] on 9/30/97.

Question:
What will the tree content of the woods behind Peabody be in 20 years? This question involves sampling a designated area of the woods that is an accurate representation of the woods as a whole. Sampling involves counting what species of trees populate the area, and their diameter to match for age. These measurements will show what species of trees exist as middle-age to adult trees, and what trees are young and may grow to become dominant in the woods. Acknowledging the margin of error from the possibility that not all young trees will thrive; some will not get the space, nutrients, or sunlight they need to be healthy because of the canopy and presence of older trees; we still believe that a view can be formed about what the woods will look like in 20 years.

Introduction:
This question is an important one because the woods themselves are important. The possible shift in dominant species within the woods should be investigated. Our hypothesis is that there will be no overall shift in the species of trees.

Research Design and Methods:
A designated area of the woods will be marked off. Tree identification books will be used to identify the various species of trees within the area. A tape measure will be provided to record the circumference (and thereby calculate diameter) of each tree. When a tree is recorded, put an "X" with tape on it (so you don't record it again).

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