EXPLORING THE BRUIN'S BACKYARD: CATALOGUING THE FLORA, FAUNA, AND GEOLOGY OF SPRING LAKES

Spring Lakes, located on the north edge of Kellogg Community College's campus and more commonly referred to as "Spring Lake," is a freshwater natural resource that once comprised multiple bodies of water. A proglacial lake among southwest Michigan’s terminal and recessional moraines, Spring Lakes is now surrounded by suburbia, making it a natural oasis. To learn more about the ecosystem and geology, we proposed an exploratory study, originally as a class project. The lake has a one-mile paved walking path surrounding it, which was used as a guide as we made observations all the way around. Throughout the Fall 2024 semester, data were collected on the flora and fauna, including observations of the locations and relationships between seemingly unrelated species. We found more coniferous trees on the side of the lake as common reeds (Phragmites), whereas deciduous trees are more common on the side of the lake where lily pads (Nymphaeaceae) grow. Through our work, we identified and marked the location of several invasive species, such as periwinkle (Vinca minor) and the aforementioned common reeds (Phragmites). We sampled the water and soil at several points around the lake in an effort to both learn the sample techniques and classify each. For soil, a Munsell Soil Color Chart was used to determine soil color, finding samples on both the 7.5YR and 10YR charts. The samples were physically manipulated to classify the soil type, finding sandy loam, clay loam, and sandy soils. After sampling the water, basic analysis was done to determine the productivity of the lake. Through this research, we learned proper field techniques for sampling soil and water and honed our skills in plant and bird identification. Having little background in geology, this exploratory study functioned as a two-fold learning opportunity that we will carry on to our future studies in the geosciences. By doing this research at a two-year college, we had the incredible opportunity to pave the way for more research to be done by future students in the area near KCC’s campus around Spring Lakes.