Comparison of the composition and structure of herbaceous-layer plant communities within two mature forests of east-central Indiana

The herbaceous layer is not a large contributor to the overall biomass of a deciduous forest making it often overlooked in terms of the influence is has on forest ecosystems. Nevertheless, this low lying stratum is dynamic and diverse, and it maintains an important role within the forest ecosystem. Our goal was to compare the herbaceous communities within two remnant, old-growth forests of East Central Indiana. The herbaceous communities were sampled and characterized using species cover, Shannon Diversity Index, Relative Importance Values, and the Floristic Quality Assessment. Ultimately, the understories of Ginn Woods and the Davis-Purdue Research Forest were similar and both can be considered high quality, flatwood stands. Monitoring the structure and diversity within our remnant forests add to our understanding of forest herbaceous communities and can act as points of reference for other forest communities that may have been more impacted by anthropogenic disturbances