Grant history of an LTER site
Agriculture is the dominant land use under direct management by people, and it is one of the biggest agents of global change, with far-reaching impacts on human welfare and the environment. The application of ecological knowledge to improve sustainable agricultural ecosystems remains a recognized grand challenge for environmental science. Since 1988, research at the W.K…. Read more »
Working farms cover much of the United States, providing food, feed, and biofuel to global markets. Changing weather patterns and land use are making it more difficult to manage agricultural lands for profit and environmental health. Midwestern field crop farmers are quick to note that changes in rainfall patterns are playing havoc with their management…. Read more »
Since 1989, scientists at the Kellogg Biological Station Long-Term Ecological Research program have been studying the ecology of agricultural systems. This research would extend that research to 40 years while adding to our knowledge of how plants, insects, microbes, soils, and climate interact to shape agricultural landscapes. Importantly, in the US Midwest where corn and… Read more »
A multidisciplinary study of fire, grazing and fire-grazing interactions on population, community and ecosystem properties will be continued on Konza Prairie, a native tallgrass prairie site in northeastern Kansas. The proposed research builds and expands upon a ten-year study of fire frequency effects on tallgrass prairie. Previous and proposed LTER efforts will continue to provide… Read more »
9632851 Knapp A long-term ecological research program will be continued and expanded at the Konza Prairie LTER site in NE Kansas. Konza Prairie, a pristine tallgrass prairie is, arguably, the most intensively studied grassland site on earth. The 15 year old, broadly-based research program encompasses studies from the population, community, ecosystem and landscape ecology levels…. Read more »
The proposed research would continue and expand a comprehensive, long-term program in grassland ecology at Konza Prairie. The 20-year old, broadly-based KNZ LTER program crosses multiple ecological levels and spatial and temporal scales. Since its inception, the overarching integrates fire, grazing and climatic variability as essential and interactive factors responsible for the structure and function… Read more »
Since its inception in 1980, long-term studies and experiments at Konza Prairie, Kansas, have been linked by an overarching theme that integrates fire, grazing and climate variability as essential and interactive factors responsible for the origin, evolution, persistence and functioning of tallgrass prairie. Because human activities are directly, by managing grazers and fire, and indirectly,… Read more »
Grasslands cover more of the Earth’s land than any other major vegetation type, and temperate grasslands are among the most endangered ecosystems on the planet. Threats to grasslands include land use changes, expansion of woody species, invasion by exotic species, and changes in climate and nutrient deposition. In the highly productive tallgrass prairies of North… Read more »
Grasslands provide many benefits to society. In the eastern portion of the Central Plains, tallgrass prairie is the most common type of grassland. Tallgrass prairies once supported vast herds of bison and elk, and now support cattle ranching. Native prairie grasses are highly nutritious for cattle and can withstand frequent grazing, making tallgrass prairie the… Read more »
The Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) Program has transformed itself from a loosely affiliated collection of sites to an integrated network. Recent accomplishments include: development of an effective electronic communication system; creation of data catalogs and shared data sets, including comprehensive satellite imagery for the network of sites; stimulation of cross-site syntheses and experiments; and linking… Read more »
