The University of Kentucky is awarded a grant that will enable the development of a 5-year plan for the full utilization of its Ecological Research and Education Center (EREC) as a field station. The station is situated within the Bluegrass Ecoregion, a unique and poorly understood subset of the Eastern Deciduous Forest, where no other field stations are located. There is an 18-year history of research on the site, dominated by the use of semi-field approaches (replicated artificial systems in the field), based on artificial streams, mesocosms, ponds, and aviaries. A series of recent improvements, including the availability of excellent indoor research and meeting space, new research initiatives and funding successes, rapidly expanding use for coursework, the emergence of the BIOTIC outreach initiative, and the appointment of administrative leadership make this an ideal time to focus on field station development. In consultation with others who have done this successfully, a planning process has been designed, and participants who can help guide this effort have been recruited.
Advancing the study of native Bluegrass species and systems, while conducting experiments and monitoring the prevalence and impact of invasive species and diseases, is the current focus of research at EREC. Long-term data sets are to be gathered and analyzed to detect trends using statistical time-series analyses. Models will be developed to predict and explain patterns in the data. Semi-field studies of invasive species will complement field studies and laboratory analyses. The planning process itself-the activity directly funded by this grant-will identify the improvements in monitoring, technology, communications, and facilities likely to prove most beneficial for advancing this work and for attracting additional research collaborators from UK and other institutions. This will be accomplished through two workshops, including both local personnel and outside experts, and ongoing consultation with multiple stakeholder groups.
A key initiative at EREC is the continuing expansion of undergraduate teaching, STEM teacher training, and community outreach, with contributions from faculty, graduate students, undergraduates, and collaborators in UK's Partnership for Innovation in Mathematics and Science Education Reform. The REU Site and BIOTIC outreach programs are greatly expanding the reach of this educational role. The focus is on increasing the understanding of ecological science--its findings, applications, and new frontiers--to individuals across the full range of previous exposure to these developments. Opportunities will be exploited to help our citizen neighbors put some of them into practice. The planning process will help determine how to integrate research, teaching, and outreach to best effect. For more information about the center, please visit the website at http://darwin.uky.edu/~EREC/.
