The Land Institute is excited to be part of the New Roots for Restoration Biology Integration Institute (NRR BII) funded by the National Science Foundation. NRR BII researchers, grad students, and interns will explore how rooting systems of perennial plants, both natural and agricultural, interact and influence each other, soil microorganisms, and soil health. The project also features education and training and will enable The Land Institute to recruit high school students from social groups often excluded from STEM learning opportunities for paid summer internships.
A collaboration between nine organizations involving 26 scientists and educators, the effort will be lead by The Danforth Center and includes Saint Louis University and the Missouri Botanical Garden’s Shaw Nature Reserve, home to one of the Institute’s seven field sites. It bridges to population and community ecology through the Chicago Botanic Garden and the University of Kansas, and to plant evolutionary genetics and agriculture through the University of Vermont, University of Missouri, and The Land Institute in Salina, KS. The goal of the five-year research project is to integrate plant traits, communities, and the soil ecosphere to advance the restoration of natural and agricultural ecosystems.
Learn more about New Roots for Restoration Biology Integration Institute here.