Centennial Honors College
Western Illinois University
Undergraduate Research Day 2012
Poster Presentation
Age Structure and Stand Composition of Prairie Glen in Relationship to
Landscape Position and Recent Prescribed Burning Regime
Jeff Woodyatt
Faculty Mentor: Sean Jenkins
Biological Sciences
Oak hickory woodlands are disturbance driven ecosystems, whose composition and
structure, before European settlement, were in a large part determined by the
frequency, severity and seasonality of fire and how these factors interact with landscape
position and topography. More recently these woodlands have been fragmented due to,
timber harvesting, agriculture and urban development. The overstory composition and
structure of remaining remnants are shifting from being dominated by oaks to being
dominated by fire and shade intolerant species such as sugar maple (Acer saccharum)
as a result of a lack of fire and closed canopy conditions. This shift in overstory
composition and structure has led and will continue to lead to a loss of forest flora plant
species diversity. This study will examine the effects of landscape position and recent
prescribed burn history on the age structure, species composition and seedling
composition and abundance of woodland stands in Prairie Glen at the Alice L. Kibbe
Life Science Station. By means of this study, we will set forth to understand and
determine the interrelationships among specific species and their ecosystems, locations
in space and time, and evolutionary responses towards environmental driven changes,
specifically fire exclusion. Moreover, the information derived from this inquiry will
promote a further understanding of woodland stand dynamics.