2024 Konza LTER Summer REUs

Participant: Jessica Wilson
Institution: Louisiana State University (Senior in Biology and Coastal Environmental Science)
Advisor: Dr. Andrew Hope (Kansas State University)

Being able to spend 10 weeks on Konza over the summer conducting small mammal research was one of the most breathtaking experiences I have ever had. My research, under the mentorship of Dr. Hope, was investigating the edge effects of small mammals on the Konza Prairie and their preferred range of habitat from an abrupt transition of woodlands to open grasslands. With the help of other Hope Lab students, I trapped and collected over 600 small mammals on eight different transects in order to see how and where these animals were moving. During my fieldwork on Konza, we handled animals in the field carefully via mark-recapture protocols in addition to processing specimens for museum collection in the lab.

Moreover, I was able to spend a few weeks trapping in different rural areas of Kansas in order to further understand the small mammal populations densities around the state. Squirrels, shrews, voles and other rodents were not our only captures; however, we also came across a multitude of other wildlife including white-tailed deer, box turtles, native prairie snakes, and eastern cottontails. On these excursions, I had the pleasure of helping with other Hope Lab projects such as the ongoing Southern Flying Squirrel tracking project and both endo- and ectoparasite collection. The lab also had the amazing opportunity to spend a week traveling to Boulder, Colorado to attend the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Mammalogists to present posters, listen to research presentations and meet with other faculty and peers to create both social and career connections.

Participating in this specific REU taught me lifelong skills in ARCTOS database data entry, tissue and specimen preparation, agarose gel electrophoresis, DNA extractions, DNA sequencing, and skeleton cleaning, to name a few. My results from my research show that we are seeing woodland species begin to travel further into the prairie via the usage of drainageways and gulleys as natural corridors into the prairie. In addition, the effective usage of the prairie is much smaller than anticipated as I saw that grassland species stay collectively in the prairie while the woodland species venture between the two habitats. This gives credit to the idea that woody habitats not only have a higher carrying capacity but that the framework of Konza is set up as a mosaic habitat because of the different burn rotations across watersheds. We hope to continue this project in the future and expect to see more of a crossover of woodlands species into the grassland.

Konza and Kansas State University have my most gracious thanks for this golden opportunity. It was truly an experience I will never forget thanks to Dr. Andrew Hope, the members of the Hope Lab and the KONZA team who helped make this research possible.

Participant: Rain Grace
Institution: Kansas State University
Advisor: Dr. Lydia Zeglin (Kansas State University)

Over the summer, I worked with Zeglin Lab on a project to support native prairie restoration efforts and restore local knowledge on native gardening at Kaw Nation. In collaboration with Kaw Nation members, this project was designed to learn about establishing native plant gardens by testing different soil, irrigation, and fertilization conditions. I collected soil from three locations: Konza Prairie, Allegawaho Heritage Park, and Newkirk, OK. I also collected tap water from Newkirk and soil amendments from Konza.

We hypothesized that Kansas-origin soil and water would better support native plants compared to Oklahoma soil and water, and that soil amendments would enhance germination and survival rates. Five culturally significant plant species were selected for this study, and the experiment was conducted in a greenhouse over a six-week period. During that time, I maintained and monitored the growth of hundreds of seedlings by watering, measuring, and documenting their progress. At the conclusion of the experiment, I harvested each seedling, washed their roots, and measured both aboveground and belowground dry mass, while also collecting soil samples for further nutrient and microbial DNA analysis.

Through this work, I gained valuable experience in plant identification, cultivating native plants, using RStudio, and analyzing large datasets. Results showed that all soils and waters supported successful seedling germination and growth, though optimal conditions varied by plant. Contrary to our predictions, OK soil and water promoted growth more effectively than Konza Prairie soil. One of the two soil amendments significantly increased survival in two of the five species, which partially supported our second prediction.
 
In addition to the main project, I worked on creating a native plant guidebook from a recovered Kaw plant name document and the Kaw dictionary, and I collected seeds for a native seed bank. The guidebook was provided to Storm Brave, the Kaw language director, and seeds have been shared with Kaw citizens. I hope to continue revising the plant guide and building a seed bank that supports restoration and sovereign food systems.

Participant: Ian Graham
Institution: University of Kansas (senior in Fisheries and Wildlife Biology)
Advisor: Dr. Allison Louthan (Kansas State University)

This summer I took soil samples from various watersheds at Konza, then used them to examine soil-seed bank species richness. I wanted to see if there was a disconnect between the biodiversity above ground (what we see) and the biodiversity below ground (what's in the seed bank). Furthermore, if there were differences between the above and below, I wanted to find out if these differences correlated with the presence of bison.

I collected random samples from seven different watersheds and allowed the samples to cold stratify for approximately two months. After stratification, I arranged the samples into pots based on watershed and exposed them to proper growth conditions. I then recorded and identified plants as they germinated in the pots. By comparing how species richness differs between the watersheds below ground (with my samples) and how they differ above ground (with Konza LTER data); I can infer the relationship between above and below ground richness within a watershed.

I'm still in the germination and identification process of the project, but I've already seen interesting patterns emerge. I believe it's valuable to research soil-seed banks for a more accurate understanding of species distribution, and for better management strategies in conservation. With native grasslands being such scarce and threatened habitats: knowing where native species lie dormant and can return with proper management is impactful. Given the importance of soil-seed banks, it makes bison important in the topic of grassland conservation if they alter seed bank richness.

This REU project was a valuable learning experience which I'm extremely grateful for. It's given me a better understanding of the process of research from start to finish. I've gained experience in important skills such as: experimental design, presenting results, conducting background research, and managing logistics. And also learned some other skills I didn't expect such as using GIS and operating 4WD vehicles. I feel more confident and eager to pursue future research than when I began. I also extend a special thanks to my advisor Dr. Louthan, whom without, none of this would've been possible.