WIREGRASS (ARISTIDA STRICTA) PLAYS A KEYSTONE ROLE IN ECOSYSTEM HEALTH OF IMPERILED LONGLEAF PINE (LLP; PINUS PALUSTRIS) SAVANNAS OF THE SOUTHEASTERN USA. IN ADDITION TO PROMOTING THE GRASS-FIRE FEEDBACK AND PROVIDING ECOSYSTEM SERVICES, WIREGRASS HAS GREAT POTENTIAL TO SUPPORT THE VIABILITY OF LLP RESTORATION EFFORTS THROUGH LOCAL SEED MARKETS AND COOPERATIVE MANAGEMENT. HOWEVER, THE SUCCESS OF WIREGRASS PRODUCTION AND ESTABLISHMENT IS SEVERELY LIMITED BY THE SCARCITY OF KNOWLEDGE ABOUT ITS BASIC ECOLOGY. THE LONG-TERM GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO EVALUATE HOW FIRE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES CAN ENHANCE WIREGRASS PRODUCTIVITY AND ECONOMIC PROFITABILITY. WE PROPOSE TO: (1) MODEL THE EFFECTS OF FIRE MANAGEMENT (SEASON AND FREQUENCY) ON WIREGRASS POPULATION GROWTH IN DIFFERENT LLP HABITAT TYPES; (2) EXAMINE WHETHER BURN SEASON AFFECTS WIREGRASS SEED NUMBER AND VIABILITY VIA POLLEN LIMITATION; (3) INVESTIGATE WHETHER WIREGRASS SEEDLING GROWTH AND SURVIVAL DIFFER AMONG HABITATS DUE TO HABITAT-SPECIFIC PLANT-SOIL FEEDBACKS; AND (4) DEVELOP BIOECONOMIC MODELS THAT ASSESS THE PROFITABILITY AND EFFECTIVENESS OF DIFFERENT WIREGRASS MANAGEMENT SCENARIOS.THIS PROJECT PROVIDES SPECIFIC SUPPORT TO THE FARM BILL'S PLANT HEALTH AND PRODUCTION AND PLANT PRODUCTS PROGRAM AREA. WE FOCUS ON INCREASING OUR FOUNDATIONAL KNOWLEDGE OF AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION SYSTEMS, IN THIS CASE, LLP ECOSYSTEMS. BY EXAMINING THE LIFE CYCLE AND ECOLOGY OF A KEYSTONE SPECIES, WE ADDRESS POTENTIAL LIMITING DYNAMICS WITHIN THE ECOSYSTEM THAT COULD BE PREVENTING EFFICIENT AND PRODUCTIVE MANAGEMENT AND RESTORATION. OUR EXPERIMENTAL MANIPULATIONS AND BIOECONOMIC MODELING SHOULD HELP DEVELOP SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS THAT WILL INCREASE OUR STEWARDSHIP OF LLP ECOSYSTEMS AS A CRITICAL NATURAL RESOURCE.