FSML: Enhancement of Support Facilities for Visiting Scientists at Konza Prairie Research Natural Area

康扎草原研究自然区（KPRNA）是一个3487公顷的高草草原保护区，由堪萨斯州立大学生物系作为生物研究站进行管理。目前，有超过120个研究项目在这里进行，其中包括来自本校14个系和5个学院的研究人员，以及65个来自其他机构的访问研究人员。KPRNA的研究得到了来自15个政府机构和私人基金会的500万美元校外资金的支持。目前的设施包括一个翻新的大型石头牧场和谷仓，作为研究和教育总部，一个小型实验室，30公里的围栏，17公里的养护砾石路，消防管理设备和60个分水岭处理单元（平均面积0.55平方公里），按照不同的长期规定的火灾和火灾处理组合进行维护。有蹄类食草动物在一个949公顷的野牛围场和处理设施以及一个325公顷的牛围场内进行管理。复制的流域放牧和规定的火灾处理为该基地80%以上的研究提供了基础设施。KPRNA的总体研究、访问（非ksu）科学家的数量以及为他们的研究项目保留的小地块数量在过去十年中都有显著增长。因此，启动了KPRNA的三个阶段发展计划，包括：1)制定长期总体规划；2)稳定和更新现有设施和设备；3)建设新的实验室、辅助设施和访问科学家的生活区。第一及第二阶段已基本完成。该计划将于第三阶段展开，重点是加强对访问科学家的支援设施。具体而言，该项目将增加访问科学家的实验室空间，并支持购买一种特殊用途拖拉机，以维持长期的流域水位处理和由合作和个人访问研究人员建立的大量小地块。KPRNA实验样地研究的扩大是由于对以下关键问题的概念关注日益增加：1)驱动大规模群落和生态系统模式和变化的潜在过程和机制；2)通过跨站点研究评估其在草原和其他陆地生态系统中的一般性。同时，配套资金将用于安装现场计算机设施和连接到KU校园的T1计算机线路，并建造一座新楼来存放消防管理设备。这项拟议工作的完成将大大提高KPRNA的研究能力，为访问科学家和学生提供实验室和计算支持设施，以及数据管理和通信系统。这些改进将进一步促进对草原和其他陆地系统的跨学科合作研究。

Konza Prairie Research Natural Area (KPRNA) is a 3,487 ha tallgrass prairie preserve managed as a biological research station by the Division of Biology, Kansas State University. Over 120 projects, involving KSU researches from 14 Departments and 5 Colleges, and 65 visiting researches from other institutions, are being conducted on the site. KSU research on KPRNA is supported by $5 M in extramural funding from 15 government agencies and private foundations. Current facilities include a large renovated stone ranch house and barn that serve as research and educational headquartes,a small laboratory, 30 km of fencing, 17 km of maintained gravel roads, fire management equipment, and 60 watershed treatment units (avg. size 0.55 km2) maintained under different long-term prescribed fire and gazing treatment combinations. Ungulate grazers are managed within a 949 ha bison enclosure and handling facility, and a 325 ha cattle enclosure. The replicated watershed-level grazing and prescribed fire treatments provide the infrastructure for over 80% of the research on the site. The overall research on KPRNA, the numbers of visiting (non-KSU) scientists, and the number of small plots maintained for their research programs have all grown significantly in the last decade. Therefore, a three phase development plan for KPRNA was initiated including 1) producing a long range Master Plan, II) stabilizing and renovating the existing facilities and equipment, and III) constructing new laboratory, support facilities, and living quarters for visiting scientists. Phases I and II are essentially completed. This project will begin Phase III and focuses on enhancing support facilities for visiting scientists. Specifically, the project to increase laboratory space for visiting scientists and to support the purchase of a special purpose tractor needed for maintenance of both the long-term watershed-level treatments and the greatly increasing numbers of small plots established by co llaborating and individuals visiting researchers. The expansion of experimental plot research on KPRNA has resulted from an increasing conceptual focus on key questions regarding 1) underlying processes and mechanisms driving large-scale community and ecosystems patterns and change, and 2) assessment of their generality across grasslands and other terrestrial ecosystems via cross-site studies. Concurrently, matching funds will be used to install onsite computing facilities and T1 computer line connection to the KU campus, and to construct a new building to house fire management equipment. The completion of this proposed work will significantly enhance the KPRNA research capacity, laboratory and computing support facilities for visiting scientists and students, and data management and communication system. These improvements will facilitate further in collaborative cross-disciplinary research on grasslands and other terrestrial systems.