Determining effects of drought on prairie grasses could help us understand shifts in plant distributions and abundances with altered precipitation. The mixed grass prairie of North America is the zone where tallgrass prairies of the east intermingle with shortgrass prairies of the west. Species transitions in the mixed grass prairie reflect precipitation gradients, but little is known regarding how dominant grasses respond physiologically to water availability. We measured the performance of Andropogon gerardii, Bouteloua curtipendula, Schizachyrium scoparium, and Sorghastrum nutans in three precipitation treatments (ambient rainfall, drought, irrigated) in a southern mixed grass prairie near Hays, Kansas, USA. Photosynthesis and water potential were measured monthly in June and July of 2010 and 2011. Phenology and height measurements were collected semimonthly in June, July, and August of 2011. Growth increased under irrigated treatments in all four species. Conversely, leaf δ¹³C became lower in drought treatments. The highest photosynthesis rates were measured in irrigated S. nutans, but S. nutans was the most impacted by drought. No individuals of S. nutans remained in drought treatments by August 2011, leaf δ¹³C and water potentials were significantly higher than in other species, and individuals of S. nutans only reached reproductive stage in irrigated treatments. The most drought tolerant species were B. curtipendula and S. scoparium, as indicated by lower leaf δ¹³C and water potentials and an ability to maintain higher stomatal conductance and photosynthesis with low water availability. Moreover, individuals of B. curtipendula and S. scoparium reached reproductive stage in ambient and irrigated treatments. Andropogon gerardii had intermediate drought tolerance, as indicated by intermediate photosynthesis, leaf δ¹³C, and water potential, and individuals only reaching reproductive stage in irrigated treatments. Physiological differences among dominant prairie grasses under decreased water availability could help us understand mechanisms of drought tolerance and how climate change might impact native grasslands.

Numerous species reside in habitats that fluctuate widely across a number of environmental conditions. Many of these organisms utilize physiological or behavioral adaptations that allow them to survive in variable environments. Specifically, some wolf spiders commonly use a variety of refuges (e.g. burrows) as a tactic to escape a variety of unsuitable surface conditions, including biotic (e.g. predators) and abiotic factors (e.g. temperature, light, humidity). Here, we investigated the influence of varying temperature and light levels on refuge use and overall activity in the wolf spider Rabidosa punctulata. Our experiment used a fully crossed design varying both temperature (low: 4.4° C vs. high: 26.7° C) and light levels (light vs. dark)(N = 20/treatment). We found that both temperature and light affected spider activity, while only temperature affected burrow use. Spiders were the most active when warm and in the dark, and they were more likely to enter a burrow retreat in the cold. This study provides insight into how various organisms, like ectotherms, may alter behaviors to deal with extremely variable habitats.

Germination of forage legumes can often be affected by many different environmental factors which impact the establishment of food plots for wildlife. To ascertain the variability in performance among commercial products, we tested the germination rates of three popular wildlife seed mix blends: Perfect Plot (Biologic), Rack Force (Evolved Harvest), and Bird and Buck Whitetail and Gamebird mix (Star Seed). Ten 1-gram random samples of each seed mix were tested in complete darkness at a constant 25° C for 25 days. Germinated seeds were identified by species, removed from the Petri-dishes, and counted individually every 24 hours. Observed germination rates were compared to expected rates for each plant type: alfalfa (Medicago spp.), clover (Trifolium spp.), chicory (Cichorium spp.), rapeseed (Brassica spp.), and grasses (Poaceca spp.). Seeds of the Bird and Buck mix had the highest overall germination rate at 79%, only 0.6% lower than the expected seed mix germination. Perfect Plot and Rack Force seeds exhibited germination rates of 49% and 52%, which were 7% and 11%, respectively, lower than expected. For the Bird and Buck mix, grass seeds had 7% more germination than expected, while rape seeds had 6% lower germination than was expected (p < 0.0001). Clover and rape seeds in the Perfect Plot mix had 18% and 9%, respectively, lower germination than expected (p < 0.0001). Rack Force clover and alfalfa seeds showed 16% and 17%, respectively, lower germination than expected (p < 0.0001). Seed mix performance was not correlated with mix diversity and was inversely related to seed mix cost.

A road cut in Butler County exposes layers of fossiliferous limestone and shale from the Winfield Limestone. The outcrop contains numerous fossils, including bryozoans, echinoids, crinoids, and at least three genera of brachiopods. The majority of the fossils found at this outcrop are Derbyia brachiopods. The interareas of the Derbyia shells range significantly in height and width. To test whether the variation in the interareas represents intraspecific variation or diversity of a single species, several Derbyia shells where collected, cleaned, and measured. A plot of height versus width of the interareas reveals that the Derbyia shells fall into two groups. Most of the shells are wider than tall. These shells have been identified as Derbyia filosa. Five shells are taller than wide and have been identified as Derbyia profunda. The presence of two similar species from the same location suggests niche partitioning. It is suggested that the living brachiopods lay on the sea floor and the height of the shells relates to the looseness of the underlying sediment.

The Late Cretaceous Hesperornithiformes constitute a geographically expansive order of early birds, spanning the Northern Hemisphere from Asia to North America. Within North America, hesperornithiforms have been reported from as far north as Ellesmere Island in the Arctic to the Gulf Coastal Plain of southwest Arkansas, a distribution spanning the entire Western Interior Seaway. This paper presents two new specimens of Hesperornis from the middle to late Campanian of Arkansas: an isolated phalanx from the third toe and a section of the shaft of a tibiotarsus. These are the second and third occurrences of Hesperornis from the southeastern-most portion of the range in North America. An expanded description of the only other hesperornithiform material from Arkansas, an isolated partial tarsometatarsus, is also provided. Morphometric comparisons with other hesperornithiforms show that these specimens are some of the largest known individuals of Hesperornis.

Mosses and lichens growing on trees and rocks are a common habitat for limnoterrestrial tardigrades all over the world. However, worldwide tardigrade research has been conducted primarily with ground level samples. In order to determine the presence, absence, diversity, distribution and size of tardigrade populations in the canopy, researchers ascended 135 trees of 17 species at nine northeastern Kansas forest sites, and collected tardigrade habitat from varying heights. Analysis of 822 samples clearly evidenced the presence of tardigrade populations in the forest canopy, as well as documented stratification with a statistically significant increase in density of the tardigrades per sample from 6.4 to 11.9 with increased height. This third dimension discovery must now be factored into theories of tardigrade dispersal. Further investigations may hold new, arboreal species.

During 1976–2003, we trapped small mammals in a wide array of herbaceous and wooded habitats in northeastern Russell Co. and western Lincoln Co., Kansas. Herein, we focus on the distribution and habitat associations including soil association of captures and direct observations of Ord's kangaroo rat (Dipodomys ordii) in this small geographical area of north-central Kansas. In contrast to our expectation that all kangaroo rats would be observed or captured on the sandy soils of flood plains, we also observed and captured them in loamy upland sites as well as areas where both uplands and flood plains were present in the Saline River valley. Most kangaroo rats (n = 43; 1.75 individuals/1,000 trap nights [TN]) were recorded in traps in the Saline River valley during 1985–1986; many fewer (n = 3; 0.04 individuals/1,000 TN) were captured in loamy sites north and outside of the Saline River valley during other years. In the Saline River valley, we captured kangaroo rats in wheat fields, plum-cedar plantings, fallow fields, yellow clover fields and road ditches but not in grazed or ungrazed native prairie, hay fields or planted grass. In contrast, we frequently observed active Ord's kangaroo rats while systematically driving dirt and gravel roads in upland loamy areas immediately north (<5 km) of the Saline River valley, mostly during summer 1977. We seldom observed kangaroo rats even along roads in areas of loamy soils when roads were farther (6–20 km) from the river valley. However, we do report a few observations at these greater distances.

Ord's kangaroo rats (Dipodomys ordii) were collected in Russell and Lincoln counties, Kansas during 1977–1986. Most specimens (n = 43 of 45) were collected in the Saline River valley during 1985–1986. All individuals were necropsied to document features of body size and reproductive condition for both females and males. For 43 kangaroo rats captured in the Saline River valley, 35% were males. Sex ratios tended to differ between nights 1–2 (18% males) and nights 3–5 (41% males); a pattern likely caused by delayed capture of males relative to females over the 5-day sampling period. For 45 Ord's kangaroo rats, mean body length was similar for males (109.5 mm) and females (108.2 mm). As expected, body mass increased significantly with increasing body length for males and non-pregnant females. Tail length also increased significantly with increasing body length for males and females; body length explained almost 80% of the variation in tail length for males in contrast to <45% for females. Hind foot and ear lengths also increased significantly with body length for males and females but sex did not have a significant effect on either variable. Three pregnant females were captured during June–July; litter sizes were 2, 2 and 3 (one fetus was resorbing also resulting in a realized litter size of 2). All large males (body mass >58 g) captured during June-July were scrotal, whereas all smaller males were non-scrotal. Three males collected from late autumn through mid-winter were non-scrotal.

Pathologies involving the fusion of mosasaur vertebrae have been documented in the literature since the late 1870s. Although some instances can clearly be demonstrated to be the result of an attack by another predator, usually a shark, the source of the pathology is more difficult to discern in other specimens. Here we discuss the evidence for pathologies as the result of interactions with the mosasaur's habitat and the apparent susceptibility of certain kinds of disease affecting the skeleton as preserved in the specimens.

The theory of evolution and the idea of climate change are aspects of mainstream science that are not accepted by a large fraction of the United States population. Many persons in the United States subscribe to Young Earth Creationism and also deny the existence of climate change. Suspicion toward science is dangerous for the long-term viability of the United States economy and public health, and thus understanding the roots of suspicion toward science is useful toward improving science education. The Mennonite religion, although part of the wider Evangelicalism of the United States, has some unique beliefs, traditions, and its own educational institutions. It is a relatively powerful demographic in Kansas. This study compared younger and older Mennonite Church USA (MCUSA) denomination members from south central Kansas to each other and to the United States population as a whole. We found that MCUSA Generation Y (18–33 year olds) was more accepting of the theory of evolution than both older Mennonites and the United States population. However, young and old Mennonites accepted climate change at the same rates as the United States population. A college major in the sciences increased the rates at which Mennonites accepted the evolutionary account of human origins, but did not impact views on climate change.

Following his forty year career in law, and his archeological studies regarding the early Indian cultures that built the mounds along the Missouri River, Judge E.P. West became interested in geology and paleontology. Well into his sixties, he moved to Lawrence, Kansas where he became associated with Professor F.H. Snow at the University of Kansas. Under the guidance of Professor Snow, he began collecting fossil leaves in central Kansas and vertebrate remains from the Late Cretaceous Smoky Hill Chalk in the late 1880s. West's name is associated with several significant discoveries in Kansas, including a rich deposit of fossil leaf impressions from the Dakota Formation in Ellsworth County and the type specimen of the elasmosaurid plesiosaur, Styxosaurus snowii from the Smoky Hill Chalk of Logan County. The specimens he discovered greatly enriched the early paleontology collections at the University of Kansas and illustrations of many of them were included in scientific publications by the University of Kansas. Although West is credited in the museum records in association with the specimens he collected, little else has been written about his work in paleontology.

Below is a calendar of upcoming events and meetings in and near Kansas. It will be updated with each issue. For explanation and/or further information, please contact Stan Roth (sdroth@ku.edu). Also contact Stan, or the TKAS editors, if you know of other Midwestern science events of interest to Kansas biology teachers, naturalists, biologists, or other scientific disciplines.