Donna Allen - Correlations between Litterfall, Wood Production and Precipitation in the Gallery Forest (Mentor: Alan Knapp).
The North Kings Creek gallery forest of Konza Prairie Research Natural Area is a relatively narrow strip of deciduous forest limited to the draws of several watersheds. Little is known about the factors controlling net primary production (NPP) of the gallery forests, but studies have shown that the surrounding prairie responds to precipitation (PPT) with a four fold variation in NPP. We have assumed the gallery forest will respond to PPT also. Litterfall and precipitation data from the Konza Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) data bank were used to test this assumption. Using ring-width data from trees as an estimate of wood production, a two-fold variation in NPP was found, but with no correlation to PPT. Litterfall also varied two-fold without a relationship to PPT. Seed production was found to vary ten-fold temporally, but the accuracy of the samples is questionable due to wildlife being seen foraging in the litterfall traps. Litterfall, seed, and PPT data from 1981-1995 were compared to tree ring measurements from the same years but no significant correlations were detected. We concluded from this study variation in NPP of the gallery forest appears to be driven by factors other than PPT.

Michael Cottam - An Analysis of Wallowing Behavior in American Bison (Bos bison) (Mentor: Don Kaufman).
Past hypotheses concerning the causes of wallowing behavior of bison (Bos bison) include social constructs and relief from irritation associated with shedding and external parasites; none of these hypotheses have been adequately studied. During June-July, 1997, I examined wallow use by bison on the Konza Prairie. Wallow use peaked in early July; wallow use was also greater during early afternoon than during other times. Males and adults used wallows significantly more (p < .0001) than females and yearlings, respectively. No environmental or physiological factors I examined (temperature, humidity, wind speed, shedding) were significantly correlated with wallow use. My results suggest that the factor(s) influencing wallow use vary temporally and among sex/age groups.

Melissa Hill - Activity of White-tailed Deer (Odocoilius virginianus) (Mentor: Glennis Kaufman).
Little work has been done on activity patterns and habitat use of White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in native tallgrass prairie. I examined daytime spatial and temporal distribution of White-tailed deer on Konza Prairie. Routes were driven at specific times to observe activity. My results indicate that activity of White-tailed deer was non-random both spatially and temporally. Activity was greater in areas with relatively more woody vegetation. Activity also was greatest in lowlands, and least in upland areas. Deer were more active near dawn and dusk. These results are part of a year-long project that will compare interseasonal as well as intraseasonal activity.

Jamie S. Johnson - Habitat Preference of Mammalian Predators in the Flint Hills of Kansas (Mentor: Phil Gipson).
Several methods, including telemetry and trapping, have been utilized to study the habitat preferences of mammalian predators. We used another technique which incorporated scent stations, that are commonly used to census predators. Often, such stations are placed alongside roads and, thus, would seemingly only census those individuals traveling along roads. This project focused upon determining the habitats preferred by key mammalian predators, including coyotes, bobcats, raccoons, and opossums. We placed scent stations in the dominant habitats at Fort Riley Army Base, and along roads in those habitats. Scent stations were baited with a fatty acid scent tablet for 24 hours and checked for signs of visitation. We concluded that predators as a group did not display a choice between forest and prairie habitats, but coyotes preferred prairie and raccoons preferred forest habitat. No preference for or avoidance of roads was detected. 

Laura Krueger - Diversity and Food Preference of Carrion Beetles (Coleoptera: Silphidae) on Konza Prairie (Mentor: David Rintoul).
Silphid diversity was studies on Konza Prairie using pitfall traps and blacklighting. Six species of silphids were captured. Burying beetles (Nicrophorus sp.) are known to be attracted to rotting meat in pitfall traps. We examined preference of beetles for the type of bait used, the age of the bait, and the location of the trap (upland or lowland). Mice and beef liver baits were used and beetles preferred traps baited with mice. Beetles were captured only in traps with bait aged two days or more. The beetles did not prefer upland or lowland habitats. Results showed that if carrion beetles are presented with a choice in baits they prefer a natural carrion source aged at least two days.

Daniel E. Neafsey - Interactions Between Three Trophic Levels: A Carrion Flower, Its Insect Pollinators, and Crab Spiders (Mentor: Christopher Smith).
Old Plainsman (Hymenopappus scabaeosis) produces a carrion-like odor by which it attracts flies and other insects to accomplish pollination. Crab spiders (Thomisidae) reside covertly on the inflorescences and capture visiting insects, preferring plants with larger inflorescences that attract more insect. Using size-selective insect exclosures I found that pollination was occurring primarily through visitation by insects of the size preyed upon by spiders. I determined that spiders were not significantly affecting pollination by means of a controlled spider removal treatment. The percentage of viable seeds obtained from a plant was used as an estimation of pollination success. Plants which had their carrion odor masked by perfume were less successful at attracting insects. Inflorescence size was found to be primarily limited by local resource availability.

Aaron T. Pearse - Effects of Food Supplementation on Incubation Behavior of Bewick's Wrens (Thryomanes bewickii) and House Wrens (Troglodytes aedon) (Mentor: John Cavitt and Jack Cully).
The extent of paternal investment during the incubation period varies between passerine species. For example, the provisioning of incubating females by males (incubation feeding) is a common behavior found in over 40% of passerines. I examined why Bewick's Wren males provide food to incubating females at a higher rate than House Wrens males. A ration of 15 g of mealworm larvae (Tenebrio molitor) was delivered to supplemented nests every 1-2 days. Mealworms were placed in small containers attached to the inside of nestboxes. Parental behavior was monitored by video taping nest activity. Females provided with additional food had longer incubation bouts and shorter incubation recesses but there were no significant effects on correlates of fitness examined.

Melissa Ann Pline - Characterization of Eastern Redcedar Forests in Northeastern Kansas (Mentor: John Briggs).
The increase of eastern redcedars (Juniperus virginiana L.) In northeastern Kansas is a recent, fire-protected phenomenon that threatens native tallgrass prairie ecosystems. The physical characteristics of density, species composition, and photosynthetic active radiation were studied in upland redcedar forests using a combination of aerial photographs and tree coring. The age of these forests ranged from 30 to 65 years. The stands were found to have dense overstories, greater than 90% bareground, low species richness and ground level PAR. This study found that in a period of 30 years redcedars can invade unburned prairies and mature to dense monoculture overstories that limit understory growth.

Tara Schubert - The Effects of Competition and Mycorrhizae on Selected Tallgrass Prairie Plants (Mentor: David Hartnett).
Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi are abundant and ubiquitous in the tallgrass prairie. This experiment investigated the effects of both mycorrhizae and interspecific plant competition on plant growth and stem density of three tallgrass prairie plants. Two experimental manipulations--suppression of mycorrhizae and removal of two of the dominant competitors (Andropogon gerardii and sorghastrum nutans)--were made. The growth of three tallgrass prairie plant species Dicanthelium oligosanthes, Ambrosia psilostachya, and Salvia azurea, and plant species composition were measured monthly. The C3 grass, D. oligosanthes, showed a greater response to the treatments than the two forbs (A. psilostachya and S. azurea). Suppression of mycorrhizae caused an increase in stem density of D. oligosanthes, and caused a significant increase in its vegetative growth when combined with removal of the 2 dominant plant competitors. In contrast, only removal of the dominant competitors had a significant effect on the two forbs: growth of individuals of A. psilostachya and S. azurea was significantly greater in removal plots. No mycorrhizal effect and no effect on stem density was observed for these forb species.

Rachel Smit - Stocking the Prairie: The Changing Historical Landscape of the Dewey Ranch, 1900-1930 (Mentor: Jim Sherow).
The Konza Prairie Research Natural Area was once a ranch. From 1900 to 1930, this ranch was owned and managed by C.P. Dewey and his son Chauncey Dewey. The individual personalities of these men, as well as the knowledge, culture, and economics of the times, all affected the way the prairie was perceived and managed. The importance of these factors was determined through newspaper articles, property tax records, and oral interviews. Management decisions shaped the Konza landscape because the unique grazing pattern and stocking rate of each livestock species has a distinct impact on prairie ecology. The Deweys' ranching also changed the landscape through physical materials such as fences, roads, and buildings. Their location was determined by old maps and aerial photographs. Remnants of these material objects are still visible on Konza today. The history of the Dewey Ranch contributes to the Konza's current spatial heterogeneity.