Research highlights 2024

While our research center is often associated with studies related to the tallgrass prairie, the range of topics extends far beyond this ecosystem, involves collaborators from many other institutions, and is in some cases focused on vast datasets. Survey research falls under three broad, often intersecting categories: terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, and GIS/analytical studies.

Below are examples of research projects newly funded in 2024 (see our website for an up-to-date list of grants and publications).

Nature-based crop systems: Jim Bever, senior scientist and KU Foundation Distinguished Professor of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology (EEB), and researcher Peggy Schultz received a $2.5 million NSF grant for a study of pathogen resistance in perennial crop systems using native silflower as a test crop.

Drought’s effect on prairie restorations: Sara Baer, director of our research center, senior scientist and professor of EEB, received a $780,000 NSF grant for a long-term study of the effect that planting-year weather conditions have on prairie restorations. The first plot was set up in 2010 at Konza Prairie Biological Station and new plots added every two years through 2022.

Plant-microbe research network of networks: Ben Sikes, senior scientist and professor of EEB, was awarded a $1.5 million NSF grant for “MIROBENet-Net,” a project that brings together international networks of researchers who study plant-microbial interaction. The goal is to integrate databases and tools to build a common foundation to predict plant-fungal roles and solutions for current and future environmental challenges.

Genetic factors of microbes’ effect on plant roots: Maggie Wagner, associate scientist and associate professor of EEB, was awarded $392,500 in NSF EDGE program (Enabling Discovery through GEnomics) funding for a project to find and test microbial genes that regulate the expression of other genes and the microbial load on plant roots, which would have implications for agricultural practices.

Fungi and drought tolerance: Terra Lubin, associate researcher, was awarded a $300,000 grant from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture for a project testing the potential of mycorrhizal fungal isolates to confer drought tolerance to sorghum and big bluestem. The study will use INVAM (the International Collection of Vesicular Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi) here at KU.