Past Research

Spotted Salamander

Merry Lea has also been a location for studying the spotted salamander. This work took place over the past decade while Dr. Mary Linton, now at the University of Wisconsin at Whitewater, was Lindsey Fellow. Populations of amphibians have been declining in many habitats, and Linton and her students gathered substantial information about the situation at Merry Lea. Last summer's drought followed by a prolonged winter placed considerable stress on these creatures that depend on shallow water for breeding and protective cover for winter hibernation.

See Publications for more details.

Bog Restoration

Dr. Anthony Swinehart, now at Hillsdale College, Hillsdale, MI, studied the bogs of Merry Lea as part of his graduate work at Central Michigan University and Purdue University.  See Publications for more details.