Native Ecosystems

Natural ecosystems - prairies, forests, wetlands - are vital to the health and well being of the planet and its people. They provide food and fiber, retain nutrients, mitigate flooding, and improve air and water quality. Ecosystems support a suite of plants and animals that serve as pollinators, act as predators on pests, and provide aesthetic enjoyment. Native ecosystems are pieces of historical landscapes that have remained intact despite disturbances. They serve as reservoirs of genetic diversity, and harbor rare species that may provide yet undiscovered medicines and foods.

Historical Perspective

Tallgrass prairie dominated northeast Kansas 200 years ago. In the1850s, Douglas and Jefferson Counties were 95% prairie. Prior to European settlement, the Kansa Indians lived in and helped maintain a vast prairie-forest landscape. The interaction of fire, grazers (e.g., bison and elk), and climatic conditions sustained this native landscape.

Settlement by people of European origin rapidly altered native ecosystems. Forests were cut and wetlands drained. Prairies were destroyed directly by plowing, or indirectly through suppression of wildfires that allowed trees to invade. In addition, many non-native plants and animals were introduced.

The Challenge

Many native ecosystems have been destroyed and others degraded. It is imperative we protect remaining native ecosystems and learn how to restore those that are damaged.

Conservation and Restoration

Strictly speaking, conservation seeks to preserve remaining native ecosystems, whereas restoration seeks to rehabilitate damaged or destroyed ecosystems. In practice, both methods are used to protect and enhance native ecosystems.

Our Project

We aspire to promote conservation and restoration of native ecosystems using a 3-pronged approach:
1. On-the-ground management to protect high-quality prairie remnants, enhance degraded prairies, and create prairie where it was destroyed.
2. Research to learn how ecosystems function and how to restore them.
3. Outreach to provide knowledge and promote understanding of native ecosystems.

Tree Removal: Removing trees that have invaded former prairie areas is an initial step in full-scale restorations. Eliminating trees along prairie borders reduces barriers to wildlife and plant dispersal among prairie remnants. Heavy equipment removes large trees in non-sensitive areas while mowing is an effective, less intrusive management technique elsewhere.

Fire promotes the tallgrass prairie vegetation at the expense of trees and shrubs and is a principal management tool in prairie restoration and conservation.

Former prairie areas converted to cropland must be reassembled from scratch. A specialized mechanical seeder can plant native grass seed directly into the soil.

Annual cutting of native meadows for hay maintains prairie, but does not allow for seed production in some species.

Historically, native grazers such as bison influenced the landscape. Future projects will incorporate cattle into prairie management.

Noxious weeds are problematic when they crowd out native species. Careful use of herbicide helps control Sericea lespedeza, an exotic plant that invades grasslands.

The Landscape

General location of activities and habitats on the KU Field Station and Ecological Reserves north of Lawrence, Kansas. Research and training will extend to other sites in the Great Plains.