Infrastructure improvements in support of grassland and native grazer research at Konza Prairie Biological Station

Kansas State University, Manhattan KS

Investigators

Abstract

The Konza Prairie Biological Station (KPBS) is home to an unique large-scale, long-term experiment designed to understand how fire, grazing, and climate contribute to the function and maintenance of highly endangered grassland ecosystems. Research conducted on the bison herd resident at KPBS is an essential component to this understanding. In addition to examining the direct effects of bison grazing on the ecosystem, studies also examine the indirect effects of bison grazing on the behavior and diversity of other species, as well as characteristics of the bison (seasonal weight gains, reproduction, etc.) in response to grassland conditions such as drought. All KPBS bison have a unique ID and because each individual is weighed annually, KPBS now has the longest continuous database of individual weight gains of a native ungulate population in the world. However, these weights are mostly recorded during the fall round-up and so provide only a partial picture of bison performance. New, remote Tru-Test scales, capable of taking weights on bison as they walk across the scales, will be installed onsite and provide important data on changes in weight throughout the year. Also, the corral used for the annual round-up will be expanded to include eight working pens that will provide new opportunities for research on individual bison (such as feeding trials). Finally, additional access gates will be added to the bison perimeter fence at key sampling areas in order to increase efficiency and safety for all scientists needing access the bison grazed area. These upgrades will not only assure the continuation of the bison grazing experiment that is essential to several long-term research initiatives (e.g. the KPBS Long Term Ecological Research program and the National Ecological Observatory Network) and to individual investigators, but will also increase the flexibility of the site and open opportunities for future research. The new avenues of research generated by this expansion will also add to the numerous educational and training activities already conducted at KPBS or using data generated on-site. The KPBS will continue to benefit science and society through basic, policy-relevant, and applied research while providing opportunity and training for students in an endangered grassland ecosystem. Grazing by free roaming large mammalian herbivores was a key driver of the structure and function of North American grasslands prior to European settlement. Geographically, bison were distributed in large and small herds throughout the tallgrass, mixed grass, and shortgrass prairies where they had significant impact on ecosystem processes. For this reason, understanding the ecological role of bison in tallgrass prairies has been considered an essential overarching research goal at the Konza Prairie Biological Station (KPBS - http://kpbs.konza.k-state.edu/) since its inception. The bison experiment simulates near natural patterns of bison grazing and impacts on the tallgrass prairie ecosystem, including interactions with the key ecosystem drivers of fire and climate. The herd is managed to provide a year-long grazing intensity typical of natural sub-humid tall grasslands resulting in approximately 25% removal of annual aboveground net primary production (ANPP). In addition to the effects of bison grazing on grassland structure and function, studies also examine bison performance (e.g. seasonal weight gains) in response to grassland conditions. All KPBS bison have unique IDs and because each individual is weighed annually during fall round-up, KPBS now has the longest continuous database of individual weight gains of a native ungulate population in the world. This award will support three aspects of the bison experiments; new remote scales, modification of an existing corral and new access points in the perimeter of the existing bison fence. Installation of additional remote Tru-Test scales will increase the frequency of seasonal bison mass data at KBPS and add long-term value to the current extensive database managed by KPBS. The corral will also be expanded to include eight working pens that will provide new opportunities for research on individual bison (e.g. pen feeding trials). Finally, additional access points will be added to the bison perimeter fence at key sampling areas to increase efficient use and safety for all scientists needing access to the bison grazed area. These upgrades are necessary to maintain the existing long-term bison grazing experiment on KPBS that is essential to the KPBS Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) program, National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON), numerous other investigators (both K-State and non K-State scientists) and, more importantly, to increase the flexibility of this valuable long-term experiment for current and future investigators.