Cream of the Crop: Assessing the Environmental Benefits of Prairie Strips
The research in this monograph looks at the use of prairie strips, which are strips of native prairie plants that are planted between sections of agricultural crops. Scientists wanted to know how practical and effective the use of prairie strips was. They also wanted to know if local farmers would be interested in the potential benefits of prairie strips.
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In this FACTivity, you will use every-day materials to explore how root size impacts the exchange of materials between roots and their surrounding environment. Materials: Electronic kitchen scale Clock or...FACTivity – Cream of the Crop
In this FACTivity, you will use every-day materials to explore how root size impacts the exchange of materials between roots and their surrounding environment. Materials: Electronic kitchen scale Clock or...
Glossary
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Randy Kolka
My favorite experiences are working with students on research. Research topics range from the importance of putting native prairie strips in crop areas to studying the effect of climate change...View Profile -
Lisa Schulte-Moore
I love science–the whole process from conceiving an idea to publishing the results of a project. I think my favorite experience is feeling like, bit by bit, I’m helping to...View Profile
Standards addressed in this Article:
Next Generation Science Standards
- ESS3.C-H1The sustainability of human societies and the biodiversity that supports them requires responsible management of natural resources.
- ESS3.C-H2Scientists and engineers can make major contributions by developing technologies that produce less pollution and waste and that preclude ecosystem degradation.
- ESS3.C-M1Human activities have significantly altered the biosphere, sometimes damaging or destroying natural habitats and causing the extinction of other species. But changes to Earth’s environments can have different impacts (negative and positive) for different living things.
- ESS3.C-M2Typically as human populations and per capita consumption of natural resources increase, so do the negative impacts on Earth unless the activities and technologies involved are engineered otherwise.
- ETS1.A-H2Humanity faces major global challenges today, such as the need for supplies of clean water and food or for energy sources that minimize pollution, which can be addressed through engineering. These global challenges also may have manifestations in local communities.
- ETS1.B-H1When evaluating solutions it is important to take into account a range of constraints including cost, safety, reliability, and aesthetics and to consider social, cultural, and environmental impacts.
- ETS1.B-M2There are systematic processes for evaluating solutions with respect to how well they meet criteria and constraints of a problem.
- ETS1.C-H1Criteria may need to be broken down into simpler ones that can be approached systematically, and decisions about the priority of certain criteria over others (trade-offs) may be needed.
- ETS1.C-M1Although one design may not perform the best across all tests, identifying the characteristics of the design that performed the best in each test can provide useful information for the redesign process—that is, some of the characteristics may be incorporated into the new design.
- ETS1.C-M2The iterative process of testing the most promising solutions and modifying what is proposed on the basis of the test results leads to greater refinement and ultimately to an optimal solution.
- LS2.A-M1Organisms, and populations of organisms, are dependent on their environmental interactions both with other living things and with nonliving factors.
- LS2.A-M2In any ecosystem, organisms and populations with similar requirements for food, water, oxygen, or other resources may compete with each other for limited resources, access to which consequently constrains their growth and reproduction.
- LS2.A-M3Growth of organisms and population increases are limited by access to resources.
- LS2.C-H1A complex set of interactions within an ecosystem can keep its numbers and types of organisms relatively constant over long periods of time under stable conditions. If a modest biological or physical disturbance to an ecosystem occurs, it may return to its more or less original status (i.e., the ecosystem is resilient), as opposed to becoming a very different ecosystem. Extreme fluctuations in conditions or the size of any population, however, can challenge the functioning of ecosystems in terms of resources and habitat availability.
- LS2.C-H2Moreover, anthropogenic changes (induced by human activity) in the environment—including habitat destruction, pollution, introduction of invasive species, overexploitation, and climate change—can disrupt an ecosystem and threaten the survival of some species.
- LS2.C-M2Biodiversity describes the variety of species found in Earth’s terrestrial and oceanic ecosystems. The completeness or integrity of an ecosystem’s biodiversity is often used as a measure of its health.
- LS4.D-H2Humans depend on the living world for the resources and other benefits provided by biodiversity. But human activity is also having adverse impacts on biodiversity through overpopulation, overexploitation, habitat destruction, pollution, introduction of invasive species, and climate change. Thus, sustaining biodiversity so that ecosystem functioning and productivity are maintained is essential to supporting and enhancing life on Earth. Sustaining biodiversity also aids humanity by preserving landscapes of recreational or inspirational value.
- LS4.D-M1Changes in biodiversity can influence humans’ resources, such as food, energy, and medicines, as well as ecosystem services that humans rely on—for example, water purification and recycling.
Social Studies Standards
- Individuals, Groups, and Institutions
- People, Places, and Environments
- Production, Distribution, and Consumption
- Science, Technology, and Society
- Time, Continuity, and Change
Note To Educators
The Forest Service's Mission
The Forest Service’s mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the Nation’s forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations. For more than 100 years, our motto has been “caring for the land and serving people.” The Forest Service, an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), recognizes its responsibility to be engaged in efforts to connect youth to nature and to promote the development of science-based conservation education programs and materials nationwide.
What Is the Natural Inquirer?
Natural Inquirer is a science education resource journal to be used by students in grade 6 and up. Natural Inquirer contains articles describing environmental and natural resource research conducted by Forest Service scientists and their cooperators. These scientific journal articles have been reformatted to meet the needs of middle school students. The articles are easy to understand, are aesthetically pleasing to the eye, contain glossaries, and include hands-on activities. The goal of Natural Inquirer is to stimulate critical reading and thinking about scientific inquiry and investigation while teaching about ecology, the natural environment, and natural resources.
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Meet the Scientists
Introduces students to the scientists who did the research. This section may be used in a discussion about careers in science.
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What Kinds of Scientist Did This Research?
Introduces students to the scientific disciplines of the scientists who conducted the research.
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Thinking About Science
Introduces something new about the scientific process, such as a scientific habit of mind or procedures used in scientific studies.
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Thinking About the Environment
Introduces the environmental topic being addressed in the research.
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Introduction
Introduces the problem or question that the research addresses.
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Method
Describes the method the scientists used to collect and analyze their data.
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Findings & Discussion
Describes the results of the analysis. Addresses the findings and places them into the context of the original problem or question.
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Reflection Section
Presents questions aimed at stimulating critical thinking about what has been read or predicting what might be presented in the next section. These questions are placed at the end of each of the main article sections.
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Number Crunches
Presents an easy math problem related to the research.
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Glossary
Defines potentially new scientific or other terms to students. The first occurrence of a glossary word is bold in the text.
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Citation
Gives the original article citation with an internet link to the original article.
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FACTivity
Presents a hands-on activity that emphasizes something presented in the article.
Science Education Standards
You will find a listing of education standards which are addressed by each article at the back of each publication and on our website.
We Welcome Feedback
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Contact
Jessica Nickelsen
Director, Natural Inquirer program -
Email
Lessons
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This lesson plan will have students read “Cream of the Crop” and answer the questions associated with it. After, they will complete a hands-on fact-based activity demonstrating the importance and...Lesson Plan – Cream of the Crop
This lesson plan will have students read “Cream of the Crop” and answer the questions associated with it. After, they will complete a hands-on fact-based activity demonstrating the importance and...
Education Files
Project Learning Tree
If you are a trained Project Learning Tree educator, you may use “Pass the Plants, Please” and “Field, Forest, Stream” as additional resources.
Related Resources from the Natural Inquirer
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Ecosystem services are the benefits that nature provides through natural processes. For example, plants provide clean air, natural fire helps cycle nutrients, and bats act as insect control. Ecosystem services...Ecosystem Services – Vol. 12 No. 1
Ecosystem services are the benefits that nature provides through natural processes. For example, plants provide clean air, natural fire helps cycle nutrients, and bats act as insect control. Ecosystem services... -
The “To Harvest or Not to Harvest” monograph examines research about sustainably harvesting black cohosh in the wild. This monograph also includes information on agroforestry and food forests. “To Harvest...To Harvest or Not to Harvest – Vol. 1 No. 22
The “To Harvest or Not to Harvest” monograph examines research about sustainably harvesting black cohosh in the wild. This monograph also includes information on agroforestry and food forests. “To Harvest...
Additional Resources
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Iowa State University: Science-based Trials of Row Crops Integrated with Prairie Strips
Visit WebsiteLearn more about prairie strips in the conservation reserve program.
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University of Northern Iowa: Tallgrass Prairie Center
Visit WebsiteDiscover additional prairie resources from the Tallgrass Prairie Center.
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Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie
Visit WebsiteThe Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie is the largest island in the archipelago of protected areas that collectively comprise the Chicago Wilderness. It includes full array of species and natural processes typical of tallgrass prairies in the region, including the reintroduction of bison.
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National Forest Foundation: Midewin Tallgrass Prairie Restoration Video
Watch VideoMidewin National Tallgrass Prairie, just 60 miles from Chicago, is the largest single parcel of protected open space in northeastern Illinois. As such, Midewin plays an essential role in restoring a piece of ground back to the splendor of a blooming native tallgrass prairie. Along with local communities, the National Forest Foundation is restoring the once-vibrant prairie to Midewin.
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National Park Service: Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve
Visit WebsiteLearn more about the Tallgrass Prairies from the National Park Service.
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GrasslandsLIVE
Visit WebsiteRolling acres of grassland used to stretch across the U.S. Historically the shortgrass, mixed-grass and tallgrass prairies covered about one-fifth of North America. Today, much of the historic range of grasslands has been lost, but grasslands continue to provide rich habitats for birds, fish mammals, insects and plants as well as key ecosystem services, such as capture of carbon and water. Learn about this ecosystem and how scientists, citizens, local ranchers and farmers are working together to manage and conserve this important habitat.
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University of Arizona: World Rangeland Learning Experience (WRANGLE)
Visit WebsiteLearn more about Earth’s Biomes from the World Rangeland Learning Experience.