Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units Program: Nebraska
Education, Research and Technical Assistance for Managing Our Natural Resources

Because restoration of grasslands is an important on-going management activity on many public lands in Nebraska, we are investigating the relationship between species diversity in prairie restorations, and ecological functions at relatively large spatial and temporal scales utilizing restorations along the Platte River in south central Nebraska. The relationship between restoration diversity and ecological functions (e.g., pollination, soil development, resistance to invasion and herbivore control) remains poorly understood. Invasion by aggressive plant species, erosion of diversity over time, and failure to withstand drought or other disturbances are all possible results of unsuccessful restorations. This project seeks to understand how grassland plant diversity affects the provision of ecological services.