Barton Road Ecological Research Area

The Barton Road Ecolocial Research area is located about 3 miles from the Life Sciences Building. This 65 acre site was designated as an ecological research area in 1996 and is now the site of ongoing experiments testing the long term effects of atmospheric nitrogen deposition and the role of shrubs in a sagebrush steppe ecosystem. This site is also used as a field site for laboratory exercises.

Example publications:

Prevey, J.S., Germino, M.J., Huntly, N.J., 2010. Loss of foundation species increases population growth of exotic forbs in sagebrush steppe: Ecological Applications, v. 20, no. 7, p. 1890-1902.

Prevey, J.S., Germino, M.J., Huntly, N.J., Inouye, R.S., 2010. Exotic plants increase and native plants decrease with loss of foundation species in sagebrush steppe: Plant Ecology, v. 207, no. 1, p. 39-51.

Inouye, R.S. 2006. Effects of shrub removal and nitrogen addition on soil moisture in sagebrush steppe. Journal of Arid Environments 65:604-618.