@article {KNZ001893, title = {Out of the shadows: multiple nutrient limitations drive relationships among biomass, light and plant diversity}, journal = {Functional Ecology}, volume = {31}, year = {2017}, pages = {1839-1846}, abstract = {
  1. The paradigmatic hypothesis for the effect of fertilisation on plant diversity represents a one-dimensional trade-off for plants competing for below-ground nutrients (generically) and above-ground light: fertilisation reduces competition for nutrients while increasing biomass and thereby shifts competition for depleted available light.
  2. The essential problem of this simple paradigm is that it misses both the multivariate and mechanistic nature of the factors that determine biodiversity as well as their causal relationships.
  3. We agree that light limitation, as DeMalach and Kadmon argue, can indeed be an important factor associated with diversity loss, and we presented it as an integral part of our tests of the niche dimension hypothesis.
  4. We disagree with DeMalach and Kadmon that light is the \‘main\’ factor explaining diversity, because this misrepresents the causal structure represented in the design of our experiment in which multiple nutrient addition was the ultimate causal driver of a suite of correlated responses that included diversity and light, and especially live and dead biomass, which are the factors that control light depletion.
  5. Our findings highlight that multiple nutrient limitations can structure plant diversity and composition independently of changes in light and biomass. For example, approximately one-third of our sites showed no significant increase in biomass with greater number of added nutrients yet still lost diversity when nutrients were added.
  6. The important message is that while light limitation can be an important contributor to diversity loss, it is not a necessary mechanism.
}, keywords = {LTER-KNZ}, doi = {10.1111/1365-2435.12967}, url = {https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/1365-2435.12967}, author = {Harpole, W. Stanley and L.L. Sullivan and Lind, Eric M. and Firn, Jennifer and P. Adler and E.T. Borer and Chase, Jonathan and Fay, Philip A. and Hautier, Yann and Hillebrand, Helmut and MacDougall, Andrew S. and Seabloom, Eric W. and Bakker, Jonathan D. and Cadotte, Marc W. and Chaneton, Enrique J. and Chu, Chengjin and Hagenah, Nicole and Kirkman, Kevin and Kimberly J. La Pierre and Joslin L. Moore and J.W. Morgan and Prober, Suzanne M. and Risch, Anita C. and Schuetz, Martin and Stevens, Carly J.}, editor = {Thompson, Ken} } @phdthesis {KNZ001735, title = {Of mice and coyotes: mammalian responses to rangeland management practices in tallgrass prairie}, volume = {PhD Dissertation}, year = {2016}, school = {Kansas State University}, type = {Ph.D. Thesis}, address = {Manhattan, KS}, keywords = {LTER-KNZ}, url = {http://krex.k-state.edu/dspace/handle/2097/32731}, author = {Ricketts, A.M.} } @phdthesis {KNZ001676, title = {Ontogenetic shifts, habitat USE and community structure: how fishes use and influence protected tallgrass prairie streams}, volume = {PhD. Dissertation}, year = {2014}, school = {Kansas State University}, type = {Ph.D. Thesis}, address = {Manhattan, KS}, abstract = {

This dissertation consists of three research-based chapters which focus on habitat association of prairie stream fishes and how these fish communities influence stream ecosystem properties. Chapter one introduces important concepts used throughout the chapters, and describes my study streams. In chapter two, I identify local habitat factors associated with the diversity and density of fishes in two protected prairie watersheds. Specifically, the relative importance of habitat factors associated with fish communities were evaluated along a stream-size gradient and across multiple seasons and years. I found that species richness was positively associated with pool area and discharge. Redundancy analyses showed common prairie fish species exhibit ontogenetic habitat associations, with adults in deep and juveniles in shallow pools. Chapter 3 addresses how fish species richness in small prairie streams affects whole-stream metabolism and biomass distribution of benthic organic matter, algal and macroinvertebrates. This study was conducted by stocking experimental stream mesocosms that included pool-riffle habitats with three different communities that represent a gradient of species richness of headwater prairie streams from one to three common prairie stream fish species. I illustrated how species influence ecosystems across multiple spatial scales and found that different communities altered the distribution of algal biomass from benthic surfaces to floating mats and from pools to riffles. The objective of the fourth chapter was to quantify how two size classes of herbivorous prairie stream fish species, central stoneroller Campostoma anamolum and southern redbelly dace Chrosomus erythrogaster differentially affect stream ecosystem properties. This study was also conducted in experimental stream mesocosms, where each unit consisted of one riffle and one pool. Using ANOVAs, I found large dace were associated with longer filaments (F = 7.5, P = 0.002, df = 4) and small fishes with less benthic organic matter (F = 4.2, P = 0.02, df = 4). There was no evidence for ontogenetic shifts in diet and likely differences in energetic requirements and behavior drove the differences among treatments. My research finds that small-bodied prairie stream fishes have predictable habitat preferences and effects on stream properties are dependent on species identity, richness and size structure.

}, keywords = {LTER-KNZ, stream ecology; Fish ecology; Ontogenetic shift; Habitat associations}, url = {http://hdl.handle.net/2097/18736}, author = {Martin, E.C.} } @article {KNZ001391, title = {Observation of porcupine in Geary County, Kansas}, journal = {Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science}, volume = {114}, year = {2011}, pages = {142 -143}, keywords = {LTER-KNZ}, doi = {10.1660/062.114.0115}, url = {https://doi.org/10.1660/062.114.0115}, author = {D.W. Kaufman and Kaufman, G.A.} } @article {KNZ001041, title = {Optimizing radio retention andminimizing radio impacts in a field study of Upland Sandpipers}, journal = {Journal ofWildlife Management}, volume = {71}, year = {2007}, pages = {971 -980}, abstract = {Two challenges in wildlife telemetry are optimizing the duration of transmitter attachment and minimizing the impacts of radios on the behavior and demography of the study animal. We tested 4 methods of radio attachment for a breeding population of upland sandpipers (Bartramia longicauda) under natural conditions at a tallgrass prairie site in Kansas, USA. To estimate radio retention and weekly survival rates, we used the nest survival model of Program MARK. Radio retention was lowest at the start and the end of the breeding period. The expected duration of radio retention was 1.8 years for a leg-loop harness, 40 days for radios glued to clipped feathers, 26 days for radios glued directly to feathers, and 7 days for radios glued to bare skin. Few radiomarked birds died during our study, but 4 of 8 mortality events were discovered within one week of radiomarking. Both glue and harnesses increased predation risk immediately after radio attachment. The weekly probability of survival was high after a 1-week acclimation period, and the expected survival for a 10-week breeding period was similar in males and females. Attachment of radios with glue had no effect on annual return rates. However, attachment of radios with leg harnesses resulted in lower return rates among radiomarked birds than birds without radios. Radios attached with glue were shed in <1 year but radios attached with harnesses were retained for up to 1{\textendash}2 years. Our results indicate a tradeoff between optimizing radio retention and minimizing impacts on demography. Glue techniques had retention rates that were suitable for only short-term studies, but attachment with glue had no long-term effect on annual return rates. Leg harnesses provided effective radio retention that had little effect on survival rates during the stationary breeding period, but resulted in lower annual return rates. Robust estimates of radio retention and survival will assist researchers in selecting attachment techniques that best meet the study goals of future telemetry projects.}, keywords = {LTER-KNZ, Bartramia longicauda, glue, harness, kansas, radio attachment, shorebird, survival, Upland Sandpiper}, doi = {10.2193/2005-775}, author = {Mong, T.W. and Sandercock, B.K.} } @article {KNZ00682, title = {Ophthalmic examination and conjunctival bateriologic culture results from a herd of North American bison}, journal = {Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association}, volume = {215}, year = {1999}, pages = {1142 -1144}, keywords = {LTER-KNZ}, author = {Davidson, H.J. and Vestweber, J.G. and Brightman, A.H. and van Slyke, T.H. and Cox, L.K. and Chengappa, M.M.} } @article {KNZ00589, title = {Organic matter dynamics in Kings Creek, Konza Prairie, Kansas, USA}, journal = {Journal of the North American Benthological Society}, volume = {16}, year = {1997}, pages = {50 -54}, keywords = {LTER-KNZ}, doi = {10.2307/1468232}, url = {https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.2307/1468232}, author = {Gray, L.J.} } @proceedings {KNZ00496, title = {Observing spatial structure in the Flint Hills using AVHRR biweekly composites of maximum NDVI}, year = {1995}, pages = {143 -151}, keywords = {LTER-KNZ}, author = {Henebry, G.M. and Su, H.}, editor = {D.C. Hartnett} } @article {KNZ00526, title = {Optimal staining and sample storage time for direct microscopic enumeration of total and active bacteria in soil with two fluorescent dyes}, journal = {Applied and Environmental Microbiology}, volume = {61}, year = {1995}, pages = {3367 -3372}, abstract = {Direct counting techniques, first developed for aquatic samples, can be used to enumerate bacteria in soil and groundwater sediments. Two fluorescent dyes, 5-cyano-2,3-ditolyl tetrazolium chloride (CTC) for actively respiring bacteria and 4(prm1),6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) for total bacteria, were tested for their usefulness in epifluorescent direct bacterial enumeration in soil. Both dyes can be used for the same soil sample without affecting enumeration results. Staining for 8 h with CTC and for 40 min with DAPI resulted in maximum numbers of stained cells. The optimal DAPI staining concentration is 10 mg liter(sup-1). After preparation, slides should be stored at 4(deg)C and counted within 2 days for CTC and within 24 h for DAPI. Sodium PP(infi) or sodium chloride solutions were used to desorb bacteria from soil prior to counting. Counts were significantly higher when sodium chloride was used.}, keywords = {LTER-KNZ}, url = {http://aem.asm.org/content/61/9/3367.short}, author = {Yu, W. and W. K. Dodds and Banks, M.K. and Skalsky, J. and Strauss, E.A.} } @article {KNZ00458, title = {Odor as a factor in nut discovery by fox squirrels}, journal = {Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science}, volume = {97}, year = {1994}, pages = {1 -3}, abstract = {Walnuts and bur oak acorns were buried in alternate positions in a 10-{\texttimes}-10 grid in a riparian forest with 10-m spacing between nuts. Bur oak acorns soaked in walnut extract and walnuts were buried in a second grid of similar spacing. Fox squirrels removed walnuts fastest and at the same rate in both grids, whereas acorns soaked in walnut extract were removed faster than unsoaked acorns but slower than walnuts. In the light of earlier studies, these observations are interpreted as showing that squirrels can smell buried walnuts from a greater distance than buried acorns.}, keywords = {LTER-KNZ}, doi = {10.2307/3628246}, url = {http://www.jstor.org/stable/3628246}, author = {Luft, J. and Malinowski, J. and J. M. Briggs and Smith, C.C.} } @article {KNZ00418, title = {Observations and modeling of biomass and soil organic matter dynamics for the grassland biome worldwide}, journal = {Global Biogeochemical Cycles}, volume = {7}, year = {1993}, pages = {785 -809}, abstract = {Century is a model of terrestrial biogeochemistry based on relationships between climate, human management (fire, grazing), soil properties, plant productivity, and decomposition. The grassland version of the Century model was tested using observed data from 11 temperate and tropical grasslands around the world. The results show that soil C and N levels can be simulated to within {\textpm}25\% of the observed values (100 and 75\% of the time, respectively) for a diverse set of soils. Peak live biomass and plant production can be simulated within {\textpm} 25\% of the observed values (57 and 60\% of the time, respectively) for burned, fertilized, and irrigated grassland sites where precipitation ranged from 22 to over 150 cm. Live biomass can be generally predicted to within {\textpm}50\% of the observed values (57\% of the time). The model underestimated the live biomass in extremely high plant production years at two of the Russian sites. A comparison of Century model results with statistical models showed that the Century model had slightly higher r2 values than the statistical models. Data and calibrated model results from this study are useful for analysis and description of grassland carbon dynamics, and as a reference point for testing more physiologically based models prediction{\textquoteright}s of net primary production and biomass. Results indicate that prediction of plant and soil organic matter (C and N) dynamics requires knowledge of climate, soil texture, and N inputs.}, keywords = {LTER-KNZ}, doi = {10.1029/93GB02042}, author = {Parton, W.J. and Scurlock, J.M.O. and Ojima, D.S. and Gilmanov, T.G. and Scholes, R.J. and Schimel, D.S. and Kirchner, T. and Menaut, J.C. and Seastedt, T.R. and Moya, E.G. and Kamnalrut, A. and Kinyamario, J.I.} } @mastersthesis {KNZ00150, title = {Observations of fluctuations in population density of two species of crayfish in a tallgrass prairie stream}, volume = {MS Thesis}, year = {1987}, pages = {1 -64}, school = {Kansas State University}, type = {M.S. Thesis}, address = {Manhattan, KS}, keywords = {LTER-KNZ, tallgrass prairie}, url = {http://krex.k-state.edu/dspace/handle/2097/22344}, author = {Loring, D.J.} } @article {KNZ0058, title = {Observations at a northern harrier nest}, journal = {Kansas Ornithological Society Bulletin}, volume = {35}, year = {1984}, pages = {24 -}, abstract = {

On 15 May 1982 while I was rope-dragging in search of Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) nests, I discovered a Northern Harrier (Circus cyaneus) nest with six eggs on the Konza Prairie Research Natural Area in a watershed that had not been burned since the spring of 1980. The nest was the first Northern Harrier nesting record for Konza Prairie and for Geary County

}, keywords = {LTER-KNZ, nest, Observation}, author = {Finck, E.J.} } @article {KNZ0030, title = {Organic matter loading and processing in a pristine stream draining a tallgrass prairie/riparian forest watershed}, journal = {Kansas Water Resources Research Institute Contribution No}, volume = {230}, year = {1982}, pages = {1 -78}, abstract = {

The means by which organic matter enters and leaves streams and the rates at which it does so are significant determinants of water quality. This report documents the import, storage, decomposition, and export of organic matter in a prairie stream from natural sources in a watershed on the Konza Prairie Research Natural Area that contains no human activity other than ecological research. This prairie stream has features that differ from streams in forested watersheds. During this one-year study, the headwater channels were ephemeral and drained watersheds vegetated by grasses rather than trees. They received less organic matter from the watershed but retained a larger fraction of it. Intermittent third and fourth order channels flowed through riparian gallery forest in the lower portions of the watershed and received more organic matter than headwater channels. They retained less of it during the period of flow (i.e., more was exported during storm flows) so in situ decomposition was reduced. These exports represent pulses of organic matter loading downstream

}, keywords = {LTER-KNZ, organic matter, prairie, stream, tallgrass}, author = {Gurtz, M.E. and Marzolf, G.R. and Killingbeck, K.T. and Smith, D.L. and McArthur, J.V.} }