The second annual Envision EEB event was held Sept. 16-17, 2022, and this year W.K. Kellogg Biological Station hosted a tour that gave a glimpse into life as a grad student in the Ecology, Evolution and Behavior—EEB—program. The Envision EEB: Graduate Preview Weekend provides students from underrepresented backgrounds information on the graduate application process and how to fund their graduate research through grants and fellowships. It also offers an early opportunity to network with potential advisors. About the program The weekend, which was held in person this year after
Building relationships by the ocean
Britney Christensen, Gabe Knowles, and Connie High joined the KBS community through the NSF LTER RET Program (National Science Foundation’s Research Experience for Teachers). This program matches K-12 teachers with local scientists with the goal of enhancing the professional development of K-12 science educators through research experience in order to then bring new knowledge into their classroom. Their experience culminated with a visit to Asilomar, California to attend the LTER Network's All Scientists Meeting in 2022. The following post is written by Britney, Gabe, and Connie, along
Prairie strip and soil health farm field day to be held in Cassopolis on August 26th
CASSOPOLIS, Michigan— A farm field day centered on prairie strips and soil health will be held on Friday, August 26th (September 2nd rain date) from 1:00- 3:00 p.m. at the Edward Lowe Foundation. The field day will feature speakers including farmers, land managers, and soil scientists who will describe the implementation, management, and soil health benefits associated with on-farm prairie strips. The event is free and open to the whole family and will include a soil pit demonstration, a wagon tour of prairie strips and refreshments. This field day is supported by Michigan State
New KBS LTER Artist-in-Residence program aims to create intersection between art and research
This spring, Michigan State University launches the Farmscapes to Forests: Kellogg Biological Station (KBS) Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) Artist-in-Residence Program, which will welcome artists from across all mediums to spend a week at the Kellogg Biological Station in Hickory Corners, Michigan, followed by a culminating visit in the fall or winter to share their work. Supported by the National Science Foundation, Gretel Van Wieren, Professor in MSU’s Department of Religious Studies, is leading the program in its first collaboration with Dream Scene Placemaking,
Kellogg Biological Station joins multi-state effort to increase the adoption of prairie strips across the Midwest
Before there were the gently rolling hills of farmland and forest we see today, southwest Michigan’s landscape included large areas of prairie habitat. Dominated by wildflowers, grasses, and sedges, these habitats were maintained by periodic fires and included oak barrens, dry sand prairies, and wetland prairies. Today, only a few remnants of Michigan’s historical prairies remain on the landscape. Prairie strips, a conservation practice in row crops that protects soil and water while providing habitat for wildlife, are one way to restore these habitats to the
Organic field day to be hosted at KBS
Please join Herbruck's on Thursday, July 8, 2021 from 8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. for an Organic Field Day, hosted at the Kellogg Biological Station, 9702 N 40th St., Hickory Corners, Michigan. With over 500 certified organic farms in Michigan - and more in transition - organic production is an important aspect of Michigan agriculture. Organic practices can aid in creating resilient farming systems by successfully implementing cover crops, building soil health, planting green, and more. Information about the latest organic research and technology, alongside conversations with organic
On-farm conservation practices to build resilience: Notes from a virtual field day
Monica Jean, Educator with Michigan State University Extension (MSUE), shares details from the recent Cropping System Resilience Virtual Field Day, held July 2020. For the original article, see the MSUE website. MSUE teamed up with The Kellogg Biological Station Long-term Ecological Research (KBS LTER) program and farmers in the Central Southern region of Michigan to host a live Cropping System Resilience Virtual Field Day in July. The day included a farm tour and interactive questions from the audience. During the tour, topics discussed were relay cropping, interseeding covers, and
Welcoming our new Science Coordinator, Nameer Baker
We are excited to welcome Nameer Baker to the KBS LTER community. He joins us as the new Science Coordinator, and to get to know him better we sat him down (virtually) to answer a few questions! What’s your research background and interests? My background is in microbial ecology. My postdoc focused on microbes in the rhizosphere of switchgrass growing in marginal soil, and my PhD focused on litter decomposer communities in Mediterranean ecosystems. I was originally drawn to microbes because of their ubiquity - I wanted to study problems that were facing human society, and so many
A message from our Director about research during the Covid-19 pandemic
Like everyone, we at KBS LTER are navigating difficult terrain with restrictions due to Covid-19. We have delayed some of our biggest new projects until next year. We will be missing our vibrant REU program and many other undergraduate students who typically come to live for the summer at KBS. Our most important concern is to maintain health and safety. We are able to continue some research. In particular, MSUs Vice President has identified as high priority long-term research, for which a lapse in maintenance or missing data could jeopardize an entire experiment. KBS LTERs 30-year
Join the Kellogg Biological Station community for a celebration of art and science
Richland, MI – What happens when one combines science and art? Scientists and other members of the W.K. Kellogg Biological Station community have spent the past several months exploring this question, and are gathering next month to showcase and celebrate the results of that exploration. The public is invited to the free event, called the Allurement Salon, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 7, in the Richland Community Hall, located at 8985 Gull Road, across from the Richland Harding’s Market. The salon will feature expressions of research and the natural world through original