Soil quality and hardwood forest regeneration in the Big Darby Creek headwaters of Logan County, Ohio

Abstract

This study was to research soil properties that might affect the regeneration of hardwood trees in old agricultural fields located at The Big Darby Creek Headwaters Nature Preserve in Logan County, Ohio. The aim was to determine, by sampling soil properties in the surrounding hardwood forests along with the soil properties of the old agriculture fields, any significant differences that might explain the slower regeneration of hardwood forest tree species in the old agriculture fields. Hardwood forest is the intended and desired land cover for the preserve, and is believed to be the best land cover for the headwaters of Big Darby Creek in this particular area.