Development of the Ninnescah Field Station and Experimental Tract

该合同为在Ninnescah野外站和实验区（NFSET）建造新的抗龙卷风建筑提供部分支持。该站位于威奇托西南30英里处，位于133公顷的混合用途土地上，包括未开垦的低地草原，恢复的中草草原，河岸林地和湿地。这一地理位置处于中等高草草原和干旱短草草原之间的过渡阶段，对于研究生态系统生产力梯度上的生态过程变化和研究生态系统对气候变化的响应具有重要价值。靠近威奇托为教职员工和学生的研究、学术实地考察以及针对威奇托公立学校学生的推广工作提供了相当方便的通道。2001年至2005年间，尼尼斯卡野外研究站支持了55门大学课程，并利用该站点的数据发表了5篇科学论文。场地现有的改进仅限于两辆拖车，提供有限的会议和办公空间。新的3000平方米。ft的建设将支持扩大生态学和进化生物学的重点，以及增加大学间的研究合作和加强教学努力。该建筑包括实验室、教学和图书馆空间，将允许现场经验与课堂教学、计算机访问和博物馆标本的直接整合。在像NFSET这样的地方，科学家可以参与土地管理决策，并且可以在不担心土地管理变化的情况下实施长期的实验操作，这种价值在堪萨斯州得到了强调，那里的大多数土地都是私人所有的，并且用于种植作物和畜牧业。在这片农业景观中，NFSET保留了残存的草原，为研究提供了机会，并增加了对草原在我们国家认同中的作用的理解。此外，实地站的建设将加强现有的扩展项目，包括威奇托州立大学生物科学系和威奇托公立学校，并将扩大最近资助的NSF GK-12项目的参与者的机会。

This award provides partial support for construction of a new, tornado resistant building at the Ninnescah Field Station and Experimental Tract (NFSET). The station is located 30 mi southwest of Wichita on 133 ha of mixed use land, including unplowed lowland prairie, restored midgrass prairie, riparian woodlands, and wetlands. This location, at the transition between mesic tallgrass prairie and xeric shortgrass steppe, makes it valuable for studies of variation in ecological processes along ecosystem productivity gradients and for the study of ecosystem response to climate change. The proximity to Wichita affords reasonably easy access for faculty and student research, academic field trips, and outreach efforts aimed at students in the Wichita public schools. Between 2001 and 2005, the Ninnescah Field Station supported 55 university courses and 5 scientific articles were published using data from the site. Existing improvements at the site are limited to two trailers that provide limited meeting and office space. The new 3,000 sq. ft. building will support an expanding emphasis in ecology and evolutionary biology, as well as increased inter-university research collaborations and enhanced teaching efforts. The building, which includes laboratory, instructional and library space, will allow immediate integration of field experiences with classroom instruction, computer access, and museum specimens. The value of sites like the NFSET, where scientists can participate in land management decisions and can implement long-term experimental manipulations without concerns about change in land management, is accentuated in Kansas where most land is privately-owned and in row-crop and livestock agriculture. Amid this agricultural landscape, the NFSET preserves remnant prairies that provide research opportunities and increase understanding of the role of prairies in our national identity. In addition, the field station building will enhance existing outreach programs involving the Wichita State University Department of Biological Sciences and the Wichita Public Schools, and will expand opportunities for participants in a recently funded NSF GK-12 program.