Biodiversity

Biodiversity is an important feature in any ecosystem, and lawns are no exception. The data obtained from this study will not only offer some insight into the effects of common maintenance practices on lawn biodiversity in Amherst, Massachusetts, but will also set the stage for more research that could be done on the topic. The data will be a useful aid in future decisions both about how lawns should be maintained, and about how these practices can be used to aid in the conservation of the natural plant diversity in Amherst. It can also provide a framework for efforts to slow the decline of biodiversity in green spaces, for example by highlighting which areas have the most biodiversity and how that correlates with how these areas are maintained. This can allow for individualized tailoring of maintenance practices for each lawn or green space based on the plant species that inhabit it, and also provide information about which areas could benefit from the introduction of new species to increase the floral diversity.