
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.
Research programs and services

Terrestrial ecosystems
Our group of labs focusing on terrestrial ecosystems research

Aquatic ecosystems
Our group of labs focusing on aquatic ecosystems research

Geospatial research
Environmental and ag applications of remote sensing technology, with interactive maps
Research programs and services line 2

Aquatic assessment
Our group of labs focusing on the health of our region's streams and reservoirs

Kansas Natural Heritage Inventory
The Kansas representative for NatureServe, which tracks North American biodiversity

Monarch Watch
KU's internationally known research, education and monarch butterfly tracking program

The KU Field Station
Founded in 1947, the Field Station has grown to 3,700 acres across three sites and is open to researchers everywhere. Just 20 minutes from main campus, our 1,800-acre core research area is open to the entire KU community for study in any subject.
Learn more
2021 Annual Report
Our resilient research community began to meet again, with more creative ways to connect, a higher proposal success rate, and an increase in funding for new awards. Through our report, we share statistics, stories and photos.Research highlights
99
We're a busy and diverse group of 24 faculty scientists, research faculty and other researchers serving as principal investigators in ongoing grant-funded projects—along with eight postdoctoral researchers, 20 research staff and KU Field Station staff members, three Monarch Watch staff members, an administrative staff of four, and about 40 students working 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.
3,700
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.
Friday Ecology Seminars
We host weekly seminars — open to the public via Zoom — during the spring and fall terms. Join the mailing list for notifications and reminders of upcoming seminars. See our current schedule and visit our YouTube channel for video recordings of talks.
Upcoming & previous talks
Frequent contacts & service centers
- Contact
- Make a gift
- Media inquiries
- KU Field Station nature trails
- Reserve the Armitage Center
- Central Plains Center for BioAssessment
- INVAM (arbuscular mychorrizal fungi)
- Invertebrate Zoology Lab
- Kansas Applied Remote Sensing (web maps)
- KansasView website
- Monarch Watch
- Native Medicinal Plant Garden
- Rare species data & project reviews
- Soil Analyses Service Center
- Lake assessment & Harmful Algal Blooms