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Forest
Northwestern College owns a 4.5-acre forest, which serves as a laboratory for ecological science students. The forest is located near Alton, Iowa, about two miles from campus. Students use the forest to study forest succession and the effects of non-native invasive tree species on our local forest ecosystem, as well as the effects of predators on forest ground nests. They also participate in small-mammal trapping to examine territoriality and habitat preferences of forest rodents.
The forest is the site of a long-term research project launched in 2005. Students have removed all European Buckthorn from 15 of 30 study plots within the forest to compare forest structure, diversity and soil characteristics between treatment and control areas.
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