Core LTER Research

Since 1977, the Konza Prairie LTER program has maintained a long-term, watershed-level experimental design to study the ecological dynamics of mesic grasslands. Replicated watersheds are subjected to varying fire and grazing treatments (bison, cattle, or ungrazed), along with long-term plot-level experiments. This multi-scale approach has yielded key insights into how fire, grazing, and climate shape grassland ecosystems.

Konza experimental design

Core research includes monitoring plant productivity, species composition, soil properties, and animal populations across permanent transects. Climate impacts are studied through natural variability and water manipulation experiments. The program integrates diverse datasets from consistent locations, supporting robust, long-term ecological research with global relevance.

For more detailed information on our current research objectives:

LTER VIII Proposal (2020-2026)

 

Fire
Fire is a critical ecological driver in mesic grasslands, historically shaping tallgrass prairie and now managed to control woody plants and support C4 grasses. At Konza, we study fire’s ecological impacts across spatial and temporal scales, revealing how fire alters plant growth conditions, increases productivity (ANPP), and reduces C3 plant diversity.
Grazing
Grazing by large herbivores, historically bison, is a key ecological process in tallgrass prairie. At Konza, bison were reintroduced in 1987 to study their effects across watersheds with varying fire frequencies. Comparative studies of bison and cattle grazing assess differences in their ecological impacts, both at watershed and smaller pasture scales.
Climate
Climate is a key driver of grassland structure and function. At Konza, over 30 years of research has shown that interannual variability—especially in precipitation—strongly influences ecosystem processes. Mesic grasslands are particularly sensitive to extreme events like droughts and heavy storms, making them highly responsive to climate change.