Diversity is studied because it is a good indicator of how well the ecosystem is doing.
The UTM field area is an important place for studying diversity and abundance of both plants and animals. This area is located just outside Outer Circle Road. During previous years, an invasive species, called Asian honeysuckle, was taking over this area and threatening the species living there. Thus a prescribed burn was suggested to burn out the invasive species and thus native plants can grow back. A prescribed burn is a process of using fire in a specific determined area to achieve a specific outcome. These fires try to minimize the amount of smoke and maximize the benefits. Specifically, the UTM prescribed burn was set low to avoid harming trees. So
The UTM field area is an important place for studying diversity and abundance of both plants and animals. This area is located just outside Outer Circle Road. During previous years, an invasive species, called Asian honeysuckle, was taking over this area and threatening the species living there. Thus a prescribed burn was suggested to burn out the invasive species and thus native plants can grow back. A prescribed burn is a process of using fire in a specific determined area to achieve a specific outcome. These fires try to minimize the amount of smoke and maximize the benefits. Specifically, the UTM prescribed burn was set low to avoid harming trees. So