Fondriest Environmental

One of the biggest threats to biodiversity and natural ecosystems is the spread of invasive species through both purposeful human cultivation and accidental establishment. While these species often thrive in their new environments, invasive species choke out and steal resources from the locals, leaving them without the space and essentials nutrients needed for survival.

At the Fondriest Center for Environmental Studies, the science team has been working on removing non-native and invasive plants across the property, including Amur honeysuckle, one of the most invasive plants in Ohio. Species such as this limit native plants from being able to spread and survive, which is not only concerning for the native plant populations, but also the animals that rely on those plants for food, habitats, and more. Many animals depend on resources from specific host species, such as monarch butterflies and their host plant milkweed, so losing one species puts other species at risk as well.

To combat the loss of local plant-life over the years, the science team has planted native flowers, trees and other plants to help bring back the biodiversity and provide more resources for the local wildlife. In addition to natural food sources and shelter for these species, man-made structures have been built and maintained to provide homes for species such as Eastern bluebirds, barred owls, fish and many other species.

Throughout the woods of the Fondriest Center for Environmental Studies, a small stream can be found connecting the surrounding Beavercreek Wetlands. Streams are important for local ecosystems and provide habitats, drinking water and food sources for many plants and animals. In addition to supporting local organisms, these small streams are also influential in nutrient and sediment retention and transportation.

Stream habitat surveys allow the science team to keep track of the life found in and around the stream, as well as help to target any problem areas. Macroinvertebrate studies can be conducted as well, showcasing what life is found in the stream before and after the restoration.

Litter cleanup has been an essential first step at tidying up the area, however the main initiative involves the use of water quality monitoring equipment. Various water conditions, such as unwanted chemicals, high nutrient levels, low dissolved oxygen content and more, all have major impacts on the health of a stream and can be the difference between a barren flow of water and an ecosystem teeming with life.