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
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.
Learn more
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.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.
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.)Friday Ecology Seminars
We host weekly seminars, open to the public, 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
Quick links, frequent contacts & service centers
- Contact
- Make a gift
- Media inquiries
- KU Field Station nature trails
- KU Field Station public programs
- Reserve the Armitage Center
- Central Plains Center for BioAssessment
- Douglas County Prairie Pastures (ArcGIS StoryMap)
- INVAM (arbuscular mychorrizal fungi)
- Kansas Applied Remote Sensing (web maps)
- KansasView website
- Lake assessment & Harmful Algal Blooms
- Mapping Kansas Ecosystems (ArcGIS StoryMap)
- Monarch Watch
- Native Medicinal Plant Garden
- Prairie Park prairie monitoring project
- Rare species data & project reviews
- Resources for our researchers, staff & students
- Safe + Inclusive Fieldwork resources
- Soil Analyses Service Center
News
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.
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.
In this Kansas NSF EPSCoR interview, Jude Kastens of the Kansas Applied Remote Sensing program discusses the real-world impacts of his projects and the partnerships that have helped bring them to life.
Events
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.Resources for our researchers, staff & students
The full page of resources includes information and contacts on a wide of variety of office procedures, as well as KU contacts. Two direct links are provided here to help you get contact information quickly in urgent situations.