BLOG | KBS LTER

Announcing the 2025 KBS LTER Artists-in-Residence!

6.4.25

Michigan State University’s College of Arts & Letters will be well represented this year among the Farmscapes to Forests: Kellogg Biological Station Long-Term Ecological Research Artist-in-Residence Program. The 2025 Artists-in-Residence at MSU’s W.K. Kellogg Biological Station (KBS) will include an assistant professor, post-doctoral research associate, and recent graduate, all from the College of Arts & Letters. They will be joined by an artist from New York to complete the 2025 artist-in-residence cohort at KBS, which is located in Hickory Corners, Michigan. Launched in 2022 in

Graduate research from the KBS LTER reveals the value of soil microbe diversity for sustainable agriculture

5.27.25

Researchers leveraged the unique land management gradient available at the LTER to better understand how microbe diversity impacts nitrogen fixation rates in the soil. They looked at an understudied group of soil microbes, diazotrophs, which are responsible for a key source of nitrogen in agricultural soils. Increasing aboveground biodiversity is known to promote beneficial ecosystem services. However, less is known about the benefits of biodiversity in the soil, particularly in the microbe communities that facilitate critical nutrient cycling. New research from the KBS LTER provides

Science Communication and Data Literacy: Reflections on My Fellowship with Data Nuggets

5.19.25

Samson Stynen is a first PhD student in the Haddad Lab at W.K. Kellogg Biological Station. He studies the impacts of climate change on butterfly morphology and demography. He aspires to be a link between educators and scientists. He was awarded a KBS Outreach Fellowship to join the Data Nuggets program and gain experience in science outreach and communication. As a first-year graduate student moving from Reno, Nevada, I had some hesitation about whether I’d find connections in Michigan or at the W.K. Kellogg Biological Station (KBS). I never expected

Now & Then: An evening with KBS LTER Artist-in-Residence, Erica Bradshaw

5.15.25

On the evening of Friday, July 18th from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., the public and Kellogg Biological Station community is welcomed to join us for an evening exploring the intersection of art and science. The Now & Then: An Artists Reflection on a Century of Research event will take place at the Overlook Building in the Kellogg Bird Sanctuary, and featured new work by Kalamazoo-based artist and 2024 KBS LTER artist-in-residence, Erica Bradshaw. Erica will share pieces inspired by her time spent learning about ongoing research at the biological station. Attendees will enjoy

Phil Robertson elected to National Academy of Sciences for work in sustainable agriculture

5.13.25

Dr. Phil Robertson, Director of the KBS LTER from 1988 to 2017, and Michigan State University Distinguished Professor in the Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences, has been elected to the National Academy of Sciences, one of the highest honors for a scientist in the U.S. Original article through MSU here. Phil Robertson, Ph. D., a University Distinguished Professor at Michigan State University (MSU) in the Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences, has been elected to the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), one of the highest honors for a scientist in the United

Collaboration between Michigan farmers and LTER researchers provides insights into soil health at the margins of agricultural fields

5.6.25

The multi-year collaboration aims to leverage farmer knowledge and experience and combine it with soil sampling to determine how soil conditions are impacted by being on the edge of agricultural fields, leading to useful management recommendations for creating productive farmlands. Intensive agriculture requires widespread adoption of conservation practices to mitigate loss of ecosystem services. Planting native perennial vegetation at the edge-of-fields (EOF) is a conservation practice shown to improve soil health and protect water quality. The deep root systems and stiff stems of

Long-term research at the KBS LTER reveals how changes in land use shape soil structure and carbon storage

4.29.25

Using high-resolution X-ray imaging, researchers from the KBS LTER tested soil samples from the LTER Main Cropping System Experiment and discovered that intensive agriculture continues to influence soil porosity and carbon content for decades after restoration to native habitat. Even after 35 years, restored soils contained only about 50% of the organic carbon found in native grasslands and forests. When it comes to agriculture, it’s not just about what’s in the soil, but also how the soil is structured. Given that much of our land is converted from native habitat to agriculture, it’s

Collaborative study with Michigan DNR to support agriculture and conservation

4.8.25

Investigators at the KBS LTER are working with Michigan Department of Natural Resources staff to determine how replacing under-yielding areas of croplands with native perennial plants can improve biodiversity and ecosystem services while having the lowest loss in agricultural production. The study represents co-production of knowledge through identifying shared goals and questions, and a great opportunity to scale up long term ecological knowledge generated at the LTER to the farm scale. Agricultural landscapes represent a balancing act between different interests and goals. These lands

Bird Sanctuary to feature poetry by Artist in Residence, Mikayla Thompson, this April

4.2.25

During the month of April, the Kellogg Bird Sanctuary is celebrating National Poetry Month by placing poems along the Sanctuary’s Paved Path. Be inspired by both nature and the art of poetry as you walk the trail. The Poetry on the Trail event will share several poems by KBS faculty, Kadeem Gilbert, and 2025 KBS LTER Artists in Residence, Mikayla Thompson, whose work explores grief, love, and joy through her poetry depicting relationships between herself, her loved ones, and the natural world. This activity will be available during the Sanctuary’s standard operating hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Nick Haddad, co-Director of the KBS LTER, recognized as 2024 AAAS Fellow

3.31.25

Nick Haddad is a professor of ecology at the W.K. Kellogg Biological Station in the Department of Integrative Biology and the Ecology, Evolution and Behavior program; appointments in the College of Natural Science and the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Along with Sarah Evans, Nick serves as co-Director of the KBS LTER. Nick Haddad was elected as an American Association for the Advancement of Science, or AAAS, fellow for distinguished contributions to conservation science, particularly in protecting biodiversity. Haddad studies how to better protect Michigan’s wildlife and