food is less stressed when it sees that a neighboring bird has abundant food. That’s an important discovery.” Eastern undergraduate and graduate students are


collaborating with Cornelius by studying another migratory species—the goldfinch. “These birds breed later in the summer and migrate south


in the winter,” Cornelius says. “We want to know what triggers their migration. We suspect stress hormones play a role. As those hormones elevate, so do their active behaviors.” The students draw blood from trapped birds for hormone


analysis. They also measure, photograph and band them before release. “We trap at several sites across the Ypsilanti area,” Cornelius


says. “The birds are stressed but safe. We get an idea of how goldfinches of different age classes are stressed and how that might affect their migratory behavior. And since we band the birds, we can learn how far they migrate if they’re trapped elsewhere.” Cornelius hopes her findings will help determine which bird species are most susceptible to environmental changes. “A disconnect


“Farmland is not a good habitat for native plant species,” says


Emily Grman, assistant professor of biology at Eastern. “Prairies are dominated by bunch grasses as opposed to turf grasses. A very diverse number of native plants live between those grass clumps. Native prairie plants generally don’t live in the old empty fields you see along the side of roadways.” Michigan’s few remaining prairie habitats are still being torn


up for development. Most native prairie plants aren’t extinct, but many are on Michigan’s list of endangered plant species. You might think prairie restoration would be as simple as


sowing seeds, but it’s not that easy, Grman says. “There are a number of obstacles,” she says. “Non-native


weeds are invasive and can choke out new plantings. Some species may require special soil conditions. The native plants may rely on certain microbes that are missing. Climate change and different weather patterns also make a difference.” To help sustain this


photo Emily Grman


Slow burn. Controlled prairie fires, like this one at the Kellogg Biological Station where EMU conducts research, help promote plant biodiversity.


between historical patterns of food availability can have a big effect on the bird population, and we’re starting to see declines in a few species of songbirds,” she says. “The red crossbill and goldfinch have already devised mechanisms to deal with an unpredictable food supply. We want to understand the mechanism that helps them adapt to climate change.”


Where have all the flowers gone? When European settlers first came to the upper Midwest,


prairie fields full of native plants like tall green milkweed, leadplant and white indigo were common. Today, you can hardly find a prairie, let alone a leadplant. That’s because the settlers plowed the prairies under for


farmland, which wiped out the native habitat for dozens of plant species that once thrived in Michigan and other Midwestern states.


24 Eastern | WINTER 2016


rare ecosystem, Grman is researching the effects of genetic and species diversity on restoring prairie grasslands. “We’re collaborating with other universities to restore 12 fields in Kalamazoo County covering a total of 35


acres,” Grman says. “We began this fall by changing our seed mixes to vary the species diversity. Some mixes have 10 to 12 species; others have 60 or 70 species. “We’re also focusing on genetic diversity by planting seed


mixes that come from one seed provider, as well as mixes that come from three different providers. We want to see what combination and conditions will enhance our ability to restore native plants.” Grman’s undergraduate students are assisting by


collecting and examining soil samples from those fields. “We want to identify what germinates on its own


from the samples and evaluate how that new growth affects native plant species,” Grman says. “We’re also working with local photographers and other trained volunteers to monitor the butterflies, birds and insects the native plants


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