Research Experience for Undergraduates in Grassland Ecology at Konza Prairie Research Natural Area

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The Konza Prairie Research Natural Area/Long-Term Ecological Research REU program will offer ten undergraduates per year, over the next five years, the opportunity to study tallgrass prairie ecology. The focus of the Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) project on Konza Prairie Research Natural Area (KPRNA) is the study of the impact of fire and grazing on native tallgrass prairie. To facilitate investigation of these variables, watersheds on Konza Prairie have been assigned burn regimes and native and domestic grazers have been introduced to some watersheds. The watershed-level manipulations on KPRNA offer a unique opportunity for the study of many aspects of prairie ecology. Currently, 41 Kansas State University faculty, 32 visiting scientists, 29 graduate students, and 15 undergraduate researchers are working on 126 research projects on KPRNA. The REU project on KPRNA will feature several components including an independent research project, a seminar/discussion course in grassland ecology, a course in research ethics and ecology, and a trip to a national scientific meeting. Each REU student will have a faculty mentor as well as contact with resident graduate students and research associates. KPRNA REU students will interact with other undergraduates, who are brought to KSU each summer by other programs such as the Physics Department and the Summer Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program, to conduct research in other scientific disciplines. At the conclusion of the summer, students will make an oral presentation of their research results and prepare the results for publication. There will be a yearly assessment of the program by student and faculty participants in order to insure that the REU program continues to provide a quality experience for all participants.