Kellogg Biological Station’s GK-12 Bioenergy Sustainability Project

Your resident scientist Alycia Lackey

Harper Creek coordinators Sandy Erwin and Steve Barry

Project Director: Tom GettyProject Manager: Robin Tinghitella

Species Loss in Stickleback Fish

• Historically 2 species that differ in– Color, size, shape, behavior– Feeding & mating habitats

• One species mates in the open

• The other species mates in the vegetation

Invasive Species Changed Mating Habitats

• Recent crayfish introduction

Historical Conditions Current Conditions

• Ecological changes:- Vegetation loss- Increased turbidity- Water color

Loss of species through hybridization

Percent of Population

Importance of research outcomes• Inform conservation and management actions• Understand how evolution

works• Explore impacts of the environment on evolution

- including human changes to environment

• Understand what affects biodiversity (formation and loss of species)

Kellogg Biological Station’s GK-12 Bioenergy Sustainability Project

Project Director: Tom GettyProject Manager: Robin Tinghitella

NSF’s GK-12 ProgramGraduate STEM Fellows in K-12 Education

This program provides funding for graduate studentsThis program provides funding for graduate students in NSF-supported science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines to bring their leading researchto bring their leading research practice and findingspractice and findings into K-12 learning settingsinto K-12 learning settings.

NSF’s GK-12 ProgramGraduate STEM Fellows in K-12 Education

This program provides funding for graduate studentsThis program provides funding for graduate students in NSF-supported science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines to bring their leading researchto bring their leading research practice and findingspractice and findings into K-12 learning settingsinto K-12 learning settings.

Benefits:Grad students- Communicate science broadly- Learn to teachK-12 students- Excitement for science- Real-world, hands-on applicationK-12 teachers- Experiment with new activities, concepts

Our theme is bioenergy sustainability and we will work in collaboration with:

Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center

From the new GK-12 grant proposal –

We will create a collaborative research network We will create a collaborative research network of schoolyard science research sites which willof schoolyard science research sites which will (a) serve as arenas for inquiry science activities that mimic aspects of KBS and fellows’ thesis research, while addressing Michigan Science GLCEs in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Earth Science and Mathematics. (b) allow K-12 classes to develop their own research initiatives, (c) facilitate cross-district research collaboration

Combinations of 3 treatments:A.Plant Composition:

1. switch grass 2. native prairie mixture

B. Fertilization 1. fertilized 2. not fertilized

C.Harvesting 1. harvested (biomass removed)

2. not harvested (small biomass samples)

x = 3m

y

B=1C=1D=1

B=1C=2D=1

B=2C=2D=1

B=2C=1D=1

B=1C=1D=2

B=1C=2D=2

B=2C=2D=2

B=2C=1D=2

2 standard replicates at each site.

The Schoolyard Science Plots - these are experimental ecology plots designed to address specific questionsdesigned to address specific questions to be determined via collaboration continuing through fall 2010

Research Questions are still developing.

Example questions:1)Which section will have more biomass – switch grass or prairie?

- important for using these crops as biofuels

2) Which section will attract more species of insects? - important for understanding how

planting biofuel crops might affect community diversity

x = 3m

y

B=1C=1D=1

B=1C=2D=1

B=2C=2D=1

B=2C=1D=1

B=1C=1D=2

B=1C=2D=2

B=2C=2D=2

B=2C=1D=2

2 standard replicates at each site.

The Schoolyard Science Plots - these are experimental ecology plots designed to address specific questionsdesigned to address specific questions to be determined via collaboration continuing through fall 2010

GK-12 Fellow Nikhil and KBS K-12 Partnership teacher John Edgerton check out a native prairie plot at KBS.

KBS K-12 Partnership teacher Sandy Erwin observes a switch grass plot at KBS.

Switchgrass after 1 year

Native prairie after 1 year

Switchgrass June 2010

Native prairie June 2010

Switchgrass after 1 month

Native prairie after 1 month

Sandy, Alycia and Steve marking four of the 10 blocks of plotsin the Harper Creek school district.

12

1 2 3

1 2

1 2

1 2

1 2

31 2

345

1 2

1 23 4 5

6 78 9 10

21

*

*Parchment will be added (returned) to this map asap.

21

A few ideas about the usefulness of our plots:

Biology/Ecology: – Species identification and diversity, humans as

part of the ecosystem, plants, birds, insects, microbial diversity (fungi, bacteria)

– Changes in ecosystems and environmental factors

Soils and Earth Sciences: - Soil quality measurements, gas exchange

surveys, water flow through plots (measuring evapotranspiration)

• Geography/Social Studies: – Implications of human land use decisions; comparisons of

fertility and diversity across different landscapes and soils

• Agronomy: – Productivity of various biofuel crops under differing

conditions, impacts of plant diversity on productivity

The KBS K-12 Partnership gathers at the manor house

during our 2010 Summer Science Institute.

Our fearless leader, Tom Getty

Kellogg Biological Station’s GK-12 Bioenergy Sustainability Project

Your resident scientist Alycia Lackey

Harper Creek coordinators Sandy Erwin and Steve Barry