Women in prairie with wildflowers

Kansas Biological Survey & Center for Ecological Research

Our vision: To lead scientific discovery that fosters broad appreciation of the vital interactions between humans and the environment.

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Research programs and services

People wearing hats working in field

Terrestrial ecosystems

Our group of labs focusing on terrestrial ecosystems research
Researcher working in a stream bed

Aquatic ecosystems

Our group of labs focusing on aquatic ecosystems research
Portion of KARS Green Report map showing varying vegetation across Midwest

Geospatial research

Environmental and ag applications of remote sensing technology, with interactive maps

Research programs and services line 2

Five people smiling at camera in boat on lake

Aquatic assessment

Our group of labs focusing on the health of our region's streams and reservoirs
Purple prairie clover in meadow with woman walking in background

Kansas Natural Heritage Inventory

The Kansas representative for NatureServe, which tracks North American biodiversity
 Monarch butterflies on shrub

Monarch Watch

KU's internationally known research, education and monarch butterfly tracking program
Aerial view of greenhouses

The KU Field Station

In addition to our focus on terrestrial, aquatic and geospatial research, we manage the University's biological field station. Founded in 1947, the KU Field Station has grown to 3,200 acres across three sites and welcomes all researchers. The 1,650-acre core research area, just 20 minutes from main campus, is open the entire KU community for study in any subject and includes five miles of public trails.

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Young researchers gathered around a table of plants in greenhouse

Donate

Want to support ecological research, teaching and outreach? Make an unrestricted donation or choose your area of giving. Give online or get in touch.

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Research highlights

100
That's how many we are. We're a busy and diverse group of faculty scientists, research faculty and other researchers serving as principal investigators in ongoing grant-funded projects. Our group also includes postdoctoral researchers, lab managers, staff operating the KU Field Station and Monarch Watch, and administrative staff members. About 40 students work in our labs each semester.
72
That's the average number of sponsored research projects conducted by our scientists each year. The National Science Foundation is consistently our largest grantor. State funding is used to study many issues related to water quality and quantity, as well as mapping and quantifying habitats across Kansas. Other notable funding sources are industry and nonprofit foundations.
3,200
That's the total acreage of the KU Field Station across three sites here in the prairie-forest ecotone. Our core research and operations area contains diverse natural and managed habitats and a wealth of centralized research facilities and support. It's also a research and teaching resource for the entire KU community across the sciences, arts, humanities and professional schools.
70
That's the average number of peer-reviewed publications we produce each year. Postdoctoral researchers and graduate students are involved in much of the research reported in these publications. In addition, we have published a total of more than 200 Kansas Biological Survey reports on research of interest to the state of Kansas, and we give many interviews to local and national media.
Autumn woods with sun shining through smoke during prescribed burn

Annual Report 2023

In 2023 our research center reached an all-time high with respect to external funding, publications, research applications, and education through outreach. Through our report, we share statistics, stories and photos. (Photo by Andy White of Baldwin Woods Forest Preserve during a prescribed burn.)

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News



Researcher Liz Koziol in greenhouse
University of Kansas scientists have combed through 250 commercial product trials detailed in peer-reviewed journals. Most of those trials checked to see if the promised fungi materialized on plant roots and helped the plants grow. And 88% of the time, the answer was no.
Man in prairie setting near sumac shrub with red berry clusters
Each fall, Ken Lassman dons a thick pair of protective gloves and walks Lawrence’s Prairie Park remnant with a burlap sack, gathering seeds from the withering grasses and wildflowers. This remnant, he explained, is around 9,500 years old — a rare example of old-growth prairie in a region that has lost more than 96% of its native habitat to development and farmland.
Pasture with herd of black cattle in distance
Before European settlement, Kansas was dominated by vast prairies of tall grasses and wildflowers. However, farming and development have since altered the landscape, prompting researchers at the University of Kansas to help uncover how much of it remains intact in Douglas County. Prairie pastures, which include native prairie that has never been plowed being grazed by cattle, have played an important ecological role in the Douglas County landscape.

Stay up to date with our research & activities

Understanding Our Environment is a quarterly newsletter celebrating the discoveries and activities of the scientists, staff, students and colleagues of the Kansas Biological Survey & Center for Ecological Research—as well as happenings at the University of Kansas Field Station.

Events

Prairie site with researchers in background

Monitoring Prairie Park prairie

From May 2023 through June 2024, KU ecologists monitored the Prairie Park prairie remnant, following the accidental broadcast spraying there by the City of Lawrence.

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