Andres Aguilar - Testing the feasibility of randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) produced from whole blood PCR to assess parentage in House Wrens and Bewick's Wrens (Mentor: Dale Kennedy).
I used randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) products using two methods of whole blood PCR in an attempt to assess parentage of House Wrens (Troglodytes aedon) and Bewick's Wrens (Thryomanes bewickii). Blood samples were obtained from four House Wren and four Bewick's Wren nests at Konza Prairie. The first method of whole blood PCR employed heat cycling of blood, in the PCR mixture, three times between 94^o C and 55^o C for three min at each temperature. Taq polymerase was then added and contents were subject to PCR cycling. A second method involved heating the blood in H₂O for 15 min at 95^o C. After heating, the remaining PCR reagents were added and contents were subject to PCR cycling. PCR with RAPD primers was also done on purified tree sparrow (Spizella arborea) DNA. PCR did not amplify any discrete RAPD markers in either House or Bewick's Wrens, however markers were obtained from purified DNA. Problems with whole blood PCR may be a result of PCR inhibiting factors found in blood. RAPD analysis with whole blood PCR was determined to be an unreliable means of assessing parentage in House Wrens and Bewick's Wrens.

Jon Beckmann - Habitat and Spatial Distribution of the Eastern Woodrat (Neotoma floridana) on Konza Prairie (Mentor: David Hartnett.
During 1 June-7 August 1996 ten watersheds covering more than 1600 acres were walked at Konza Prairie Research Natural Area in order to evaluate habitat and spatial distribution of the eastern woodrat (Neotoma floridana) in tall-grass prairie. The ten watersheds were chosen in order to get a representation of the various experimental burning treatment regimes at Konza Prairie. The watersheds included fall burns as well as annual, two-year, four-year, and twenty-year spring burns. Eastern woodrats construct large conical stick nests and these nests were used as signs of woodrat habitat selection and spatial distribution. Fire frequency, topography, and vegetation characteristics were found to interact in complex ways to influence woodrat spatial distribution. Limestone outcrops associated with woody vegetation, especially mast-producing tree species, were found to be ideal eastern woodrat habitats on Konza Prairie.

Nicole Ann Castro - The effect of predator type on the nest defense strategy of Brown Thrashers (Toxostoma rufum) (Mentor: John Cavitt).
My research focused on the effect of predator type on the nest defense strategy of Brown Thrashers (Toxostoma rufum). My field work consisted of searching throughout the prairie for nests almost everyday. At the nestling stage, I presented model crows and snakes near the nest. I then recorded the vocalizations given by the adults in a ten minute time period. Also, I recorded the behaviors displayed and the distance the adults were from the predator every twenty seconds. I tested four hypotheses in this project. First, I found there was not a difference in the number of vocalizations between the crow and snake even though the crow can hear sound through the air and the snake relies on ground vibrations. Also, I determined that the adults took the same amount of risk with both predators. More aggressive parents also did not have a significantly higher fledging success than less aggressive adults. Finally, I determined that Brown Thrashers increase aggression over the nesting cycle, thereby following the parental investment theory.

Jean Fantle - Delivery of social cues in the eastern woodrat, Neotoma floridana (Mentor: Eva Horne).
My research focused on delivery of social cues in the eastern woodrat, Neotoma floridana. Using a Y-maze, I conducted preference tests on about 22 woodrats to determine if they could find any cue as to the size, and thus dominance status or fitness of a conspecific. Male and female woodrats were run against large vs. small male mid-ventral gland exudate, large vs. small male urine, large vs. small estrus female urine and estrus vs. non-estrus female urine. Female woodrats were run against large vs. small male exudate, large vs. small male urine, and large vs. small estrus female urine. Neither males nor female showed any preference for either sized male based on exudate or urine. Males showed no size preference for other males based on male exudate or urine, or for either size of estrus female based on her urine. Males did, however, prefer estrus females to non-estrus females. Females preferred the urine of a larger female to that of a smaller one.

Audra Gallaspy - Farming and Ecological changes on Konza, 1855 to 1950: An Environmental Historical Interpretation (Mentor: Jim Sherow).
In the four decades after 1850, four Euro-American farms were established on present day Konza, bring with them new values and ideas of land management. Each one of these farms combined with environmental factors created microenvironments that transformed the land and left visible changes that can still be identified on present day Konza. Agricultural Rolls, Tax Rolls, Newspapers, Maps and Deed Records were used to determine what crops were grown, how long the farms were in use and the ethnicity of the farmers. From this information I learned how each farm was run and what impact it might have had on the ecology of Konza. Soil sample were taken to determine the change in Carbon and Nitrogen. Tree cores were taken to determine the ages of the trees. Species Composition was measured to determine new establishments.

Kerri Kobbeman - The effects of mycorrhizal fungi suppression on growth, demography, photosynthesis, and water potential of three tallgrass prairie forbs (Mentor: Gail Wilson).
I researched the effects of mycorrhizal fungi suppression on growth, demography, photosynthesis, and water potential of three tallgrass prairie forbs. I discovered that each forb responded quite differently to mycorrhizal suppression. Salvia azurea, had significantly higher biomass in the mycorrhizal plots. Artemesia ludoviciana demonstrated the opposite response. Its biomass increased in the fungicide treated plots. Aster Sericeus was uneffected by the inhibition of mycorrhizae. I found that abundance of stems and clones were greater in the fungicide treated plots for all three forbs. There were also significantly more stems per clone in the mycorrihae suppressed plots. I also determined that Salvia and Artemesia were not influenced physiologically by the suppression. I concluded that factors that influence growth are not necessarily the same as those which control demography. Also, I found that Salvia responded positively to the mycorrizal fungi colonization while Aster was neutral and Artemesia reacted negatively. In the treated plots, Artemesia was possibly experiencing a competitive release from the dominate grasses, which need mycorrhizae in order to thrive, and becoming more successful.

Scott D. Kocher -  Distribution of Carnivore Dens on Konza Prairie, Kansas (Mentor: Don Kaufman).
This study addressed the distribution of coyote and badger den burrows with respect to the major topographical regions on Konza Prairie (upland prairie, inclined slopes, lowland prairie, and riparian areas) and structural features on slopes (points, sides, and ravines). Angle and aspect of burrows on slopes were also evaluated in relation to available terrain. Burrows were found significantly more frequently on slopes than in riparian areas, and in riparian areas than in either upland or lowland prairie. Furthermore, slope points are preferable to either sides or ravines for den sites. Steeper slopes and south and west facing slopes were chosen significantly more frequently over shallow slopes and north and east facing slopes. Selective pressures are likely to include ease and efficiency in excavation of burrows.

John R. Matchett - The Effects of Bison Grazing On Soil Nitrogen Transformations in the Tallgrass Prairie (Mentor: Loretta Johnson).
In many grassland ecosystems, grazing by large herbivores has been found to enhance nitrogen cycling. Grazing results in more labile forms of nitrogen (i.e. dung and urine) being returned to the soil. Grazing may also lower the carbon to nitrogen ratio of root tissue and reduce root biomass-which further enhance nitrogen cycling. These hypotheses were tested with bison grazing in the tallgrass prairie. Plant available forms of N (nitrate and ammonium) and N mineralization rates where measured in soils of grazed and ungrazed areas. Grazed areas had significantly higher available nitrate, higher total N mineralization rates, and higher nitrification rates than did ungrazed areas. However, available ammonium and ammonification rates showed no difference. Root biomass was also found to be significantly lower on grazed areas.

Erin J. Questad - Physiological Responses of Andropogon gerardii to Grazing Pressures From Bison and Cattle (Mentor: Alan Knapp).
Since Andropogon gerardii has evolved with selective pressures from grazers, it should exhibit compensatory, physiological responses when grazed: decrease in water potential, increases in net photosynthesis (P_N) and stomatal conductance, higher nitrogen content of leaf blades, and greater forage quality. A. gerardii should not differ in its response to grazing by cattle or bison. P_N, g, and were measured throughout July 1996 in bison and cattle grazing patches and ungrazed plots. Leaves were collected twice for tissue analysis. A. gerardii grazed by bison showed significantly less water stress 3 out of 4 measurements with a significant difference in mean (p<0.05). P_N was greater for 50% of measurements in cattle plots, and 100% in bison patches (P < 0.05; Fig. 1). A. gerardii grazed by bison showed a mean increase in P_N of 53% and a maximum increase of 150%. P_N and g measurements followed similar trends.Nutrient analysis of leaves supported the idea that nitrogen deposition (via dung and urine) was higher in bison grazing patches than cattle. Forage quality, measured by C:N, also significantly increased in bison patches, but not cattle. However, a longer-term study would be required to determine if cattle grazing would result in patterns similar to the bison later in the season. Based on these data, Andropogon gerardii showed greater compensatory responses to grazing by bison than cattle.

Elizabeth Zacharias - Herbivory tolerance of New Jersey Tea, Ceanothus herbaceous (Mentor: Phil Fay).
New Jersey Tea's (Ceanothus herbaceous, Rhamnaceae) tolerance of galling by the gall moth, Periploca ceanothiella (Lepidoptera: Cosmopterigidae), and of browsing by the white-tailed deer (Oedicolius virginianus) was studied under varying fire regimes in order to determine the role of fire and herbivore feeding styles in New Jersey Tea's herbivory tolerance. Herbivory tolerance was assessed on both naturally galled and manually browsed ramets in an annually burned and an adjacent unburned watershed. Herbivory tolerance was characterized by measurements of ramet growth and architecture, and stem water potential and leaf photosynthesis. Fire affected New Jersey Tea growth much more than browsing or galling. Frequent fire reduced New Jersey Tea shoot number 17-fold and total leaf area 2-fold compared to unburned ramets. In contrast, fire had only minor effects on photosynthesis and stem water potential, while galling and browsing increased photosynthesis compared to intact ramets. A 'tolerance index' calculated from the product of whole ramet leaf area and leaf photosynthetic rate suggested that ramets in the unburned watershed were most tolerant of herbivory, and that ramets were equally tolerant of browsing and galling. For New Jersey tea, fire is a major factor affecting herbivory tolerance, and herbivory tolerance appears not to be herbivore specific.