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Long-term bison grazing has played an important role on health of the Konza Prairie

Sept. 21, 2022

By Maddy Rohr, K-State Research and Extension news service

MANHATTAN, Kan. — For many, the Konza Prairie located just south of Manhattan, Kan., has the best nature hiking trails in the Flint Hills, but it also serves as a biological research station and home to nearly 280 bison. 

For more than 30 years, Kansas State University researchers have conducted fire and grazer experiments on the Konza Prairie to study the functions of the ecosystem; specifically, says biology assistant professor Zak Ratacjczak, they have been assessing the role bison play in encouraging biodiversity and resiliency in grassland plants. 

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