KU, K-State field stations key sites in 30-year NSF project

The University of Kansas and Kansas State University will soon be active participants in the National Ecological Observatory Network, or NEON, one of the most extensive long-term initiatives in the history of the National Science Foundation (NSF). The NSF NEON project establishes sustainable efforts for gathering data related to the causes and consequences of climate change.

This has been a long-time goal of the Kansas NSF EPSCoR major initiative Forecasting Ecological Change in the Central Plains (2006 to 2010). This project led by Dr. Leonard Krishtalka (KU) and Walter Dodds (K-State). The objective was to mature the state’s niche strength in ecological forecasting into a competitive, centers-level capability.

More than 40 scientists and engineers and 70 students representing more than a dozen disciplines conducted research using the Kansas grasslands as the model ecosystem to assess the ecological and societal impacts of global change on coupled human-natural systems. One of the grand challenges of the 21st century as articulated by the National Research Council, the International Program on Climate Change, the National Science Foundation and other national agencies is evaluating and predicting the biological and ecological consequences of accelerating global changes in the environment and human society.

The NSF NEON Sites across the U.S.

Forecasting Ecological Change in the Central Plains was conceptualized and operated as a regional-scale model of the national NEON effort now being realized. In Kansas, it improved and incorporated sensing technologies, informatics, telecommunications, cyberinfrastructure, and large-scale modeling to enable acquisition and analysis of data, and forecasting of environmental phenomena.

As part of the future NEON initiative, two biological stations out of the 106 domains identified in the 30 year NSF funded endeavor are located in Kansas: The University of Kansas Field Station located at KU; and The Konza Prairie Biological Station located at K-State. Together, the Kansas sites are known as the Prairie Peninsula domain and form the only multi-state eco-climatic region designated in the project.

For more information on this story please visit: http://goo.gl/dcJ6Pu

For more information on NSF NEON please visit: http://www.neoninc.org/

Soliciting Proposals: RII Track-2 Focused EPSCoR Collaborations

The National Science Foundation (NSF) Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) FY 2015 Research Infrastructure Improvement Track-2 Focus EPSCoR Collaborations (RII Track-2 FEC) solicitation has been released as NSF 15-517. The deadline for proposals is 20 February 2015.

The solicitation is posted at: http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=505148.

In FY 2015, proposals aligned with themes consistent with NSF priorities, including such areas as cognitive science and neuroscience, clean energy, and food security, are encouraged.

Please continue to contact Kelvin Chu (kchu@nsf.gov, 703.292.7860) with questions.

KU to host Big 12 universities water workshop

Water use – and abuse – has emerged in recent years as a major challenge in Kansas, affecting all aspects of life in the state. It is a focus for multidisciplinary research at the University of Kansas and is the subject of a statewide policy initiative, the 50-Year Vision for the Future of Water in Kansas.

Water is also a concern beyond the borders of the state. A distinguished group of researchers from all Big 12 universities will meet Tuesday, Nov. 18, in Lawrence to share their findings and discuss opportunities for future intercampus collaborations concerning water.

For details about the event please visit http://news.ku.edu/ku-host-big-12-universities-water-workshop.

Konza Prairie research program receives $6.76 million NSF grant renewal

Long-term ecological research at Kansas State University's Konza Prairie Biological Station will continue for another six years with a $6.76 million grant renewal from the National Science Foundation.

Konza Prairie, an 8,600-acre native tallgrass prairie research station, is jointly owned by Kansas State University and The Nature Conservancy and managed by the university's Division of Biology in the College of Arts & Sciences.

The "Konza" is a delightfully unique asset in Kansas that has played a critical role in KNE research the last 12 years from ecological genomics and ecological forecasting to the current climate change studies taking place.

Kansas NSF EPSCoR congratulates the program's director John Blair, university distinguished professor of biology and K-State, and the co-principal investigators for their success in continuing this important research facility.

For more information on this story please visit http://www.k-state.edu/media/newsreleases/nov14/lterrenewal11614.html.