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

Konza Prairie Research Natural Area（KPRNA）是一个占地3，487公顷的高草草原保护区，由堪萨斯州立大学生物学系作为生物研究站管理。 超过120个项目，涉及来自14个部门和5个学院的KSU研究，以及来自其他机构的65个访问研究，正在网站上进行。 KSU对KPRNA的研究得到了来自15个政府机构和私人基金会的500万美元的校外资金的支持。 目前的设施包括一个大型翻新的石头牧场房子和谷仓，作为研究和教育总部，一个小实验室，30公里的围栏，17公里的维护砾石道路，消防管理设备，和60个流域处理单位（平均）。大小为0.55平方公里），在不同的长期规定的火灾和凝视治疗组合下保持。 有蹄类食草动物在949公顷的野牛围栏和处理设施以及325公顷的牛围栏内进行管理。 复制的流域级放牧和规定的火处理为该网站上80%以上的研究提供了基础设施。 KPRNA的整体研究，访问（非KSU）科学家的数量，以及为他们的研究计划保留的小块土地的数量在过去十年中都有显着增长。因此，朝鲜核研究院启动了一项三阶段发展计划，包括：1）制定一项长期总体规划; 2）稳定和翻新现有设施和设备; 3）为来访的科学家建造新的实验室、支助设施和生活区。第一和第二阶段基本完成。 该项目将开始第三阶段，重点是加强对来访科学家的支助设施。 具体而言，该项目旨在为来访的科学家增加实验室空间，并支持购买一台特殊用途的拖拉机，以维持长期的集水区处理以及由合作研究人员和来访的个人建立的数量大大增加的小块土地。KPRNA实验区研究的扩展是由于越来越多的概念关注以下关键问题：1）驱动大规模社区和生态系统模式和变化的基本过程和机制，以及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普遍性。同时，配套资金将用于安装现场计算设施和T1计算机线路连接到KU校园，并建造一个新的建筑物，以容纳消防管理设备。 这项拟议工作的完成将大大提高朝鲜核研究院的研究能力、为来访科学家和学生提供的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关于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.