Diane Larson is a Research Wildlife Biologist with the USGS Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center and is stationed at the St. Paul, Minnesota duty station.
What is a functional prairie ecosystem? Where can we begin to address such a huge question? With only a tiny fraction of the once vast prairies remaining, understanding their key functions and how to best preserve or reconstruct these functions is of utmost importance. Questions may begin with vegetation, but quickly propagate downward into soil communities and processes and upward to pollinators and herbivores. These are the motivations for my research.
My goals are to assist resource managers in ways that improve sustainability. Prairie reconstructions that both express the range of species planted and are resistant to noxious weeds, thereby minimizing subsequent management inputs, are more sustainable than those that degenerate into weedy fields in need of repeated herbicide applications. Can we improve planting methods and seed mixes to better achieve sustainable prairies?
Functioning ecosystems support mutualists, herbivores, commensals, predators. How will legacies of prior land use and vegetation impinge on these functions? Can we mitigate negative legacies? Create positive legacies to improve outcomes? What roles do invasive plant species play? If they support mutualists such as pollinators, how will we sustain these mutualists while controlling weeds?
Professional Experience
Research Wildlife Biologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Biological Resources Discipline (formerly Fish and Wildlife Service), Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center, 1991 to present
Education and Certifications
Ph.D. (Biology) University of Illinois, Chicago
B.A., M.A. (Environmental, Population, and Organismic Biology) University of Colorado, Boulder
Affiliations and Memberships*
Adjunct Associate Professor, Dept. of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota, January 1998 to present
Science and Products
Sourcing plants for conservation and restoration: developing a risk assessment framework
Developing evaluation and monitoring frameworks for tallgrass prairie reconstruction
Evaluation of tallgrass prairie restoration methods to improve resistance to invasive species and maintenance of plant species diversity over time
Evaluation of conservation grazing versus prescribed fire to manage tallgrass prairie remnants for plant and pollinator species diversity
Effects of invasive plant species on reproduction of the rare endemic plant Dakota buckwheat (Eriogonum visheri) at Badlands National Park
To control or not to control: response of pollinator communities to invasive plant management
Relocating Plants for Conservation and Restoration: Developing a Risk Assessment Framework
A comparison of pan trap and hand net bee collection methods at Badlands National Park, South Dakota, 2012
Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in remnant and reconstructed prairies in Minnesota and Iowa, 2019 (ver. 2.0, April 2022)
Eriogonum visheri (Visher's buckwheat) seed, pollen, and insects at Badlands National Park, South Dakota, USA, 2014-2015, 2017
County-Level Geographic Distributions for 47 Exotic Plant Species in Midwest USA and Central Canada, Compiled 2019
High forb diversity prairie reconstruction at Neal Smith NWR 2005-2015
Management of remnant tallgrass prairie by grazing or fire in western Minnesota, 2016-2017
Variation in pollen transport, Badlands NP, 2018
Fire regime shapes butterfly communities through changes in nectar resources in an Australian tropical savanna
Divergent responses of butterflies and bees to burning and grazing management in tallgrass prairies
Potential effects of energy development on environmental resources of the Williston Basin in Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota—Species of conservation concern
Belowground mutualisms to support prairie reconstruction—Improving prairie habitat using mycorrhizal inoculum
Restoration for resilience: The role of plant-microbial interactions and seed provenance in ecological restoration
Balancing the need for seed against invasive species risks in prairie habitat restorations
Coflowering invasive plants and a congener have neutral effects on fitness components of a rare endemic plant
Toward improving pollinator habitat: Reconstructing prairies with high forb diversity
Management of remnant tallgrass prairie by grazing or fire: Effects on plant communities and soil properties
Managing invasive plants on Great Plains grasslands: A discussion of current challenges
Adult monarch (Danaus plexippus) abundance is higher in burned sites than in grazed sites
Looking to the Future: Key points for sustainable management of Northern Great Plains grasslands
Science and Products
- Science
Sourcing plants for conservation and restoration: developing a risk assessment framework
Tallgrass prairie species are planted in a variety of settings for a variety of reasons. Much of the seed used for these plantings is produced commercially in agricultural-like conditions and can be contaminated by “weed seeds.” In this study, we are creating an analytical tool to assess the risk of inadvertently introducing weed seeds into a prairie planting. We purpose that increasing the...Developing evaluation and monitoring frameworks for tallgrass prairie reconstruction
Thousands of hectares of retired farmland are planted with tallgrass prairie species each year. If the methods used and resulting characteristics of these prairies are recorded, compiled, and analyzed, they can provide a valuable resource for evaluating seed mixes, planting methods, and post-planting management. Toward this end, collaborators in the Prairie Reconstruction Initiative, funded by the...Evaluation of tallgrass prairie restoration methods to improve resistance to invasive species and maintenance of plant species diversity over time
When reconstructing native tallgrass prairie from abandoned farmland, patience can pay off. In this research effort, we observed that as reconstructions matured, Canada thistle cover declined even though herbicides were not applied. There is no single best planting method for all situations. Ten years after planting, cover of planted, native non-planted, and exotic species varied little among...Evaluation of conservation grazing versus prescribed fire to manage tallgrass prairie remnants for plant and pollinator species diversity
With scarcely 2% of native tallgrass prairie remaining today, it is imperative that we wisely manage what little remains to conserve prairie-dependent plants, pollinators, other animals and ecosystem processes. Two commonly used methods of prairie management are prescribed fire and conservation grazing. Either method may present trade-offs with respect to conservation of vulnerable plant, bee or...Effects of invasive plant species on reproduction of the rare endemic plant Dakota buckwheat (Eriogonum visheri) at Badlands National Park
Endemism in plants is extremely uncommon in the Great Plains. Dakota buckwheat is a rare, endemic plant found in only a few locations at Badlands National Park and sites with similar soils outside the park. In an earlier study, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center inferred that of two common, co-flowering invasive plants, Russian thistle was more likely than yellow sweetclover to interfere...To control or not to control: response of pollinator communities to invasive plant management
If invasive plants are producing pollen and nectar used by native pollinators, what happens when a manager decides to control the invasive plant? Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center is addressing this question and has found that pollinators are adept at changing their resource acquisition strategies as abundantly flowering invasive species decline. In addition, it appears that the invasive...Relocating Plants for Conservation and Restoration: Developing a Risk Assessment Framework
There is growing interest in the facilitated movement of plants as a means of conserving or restoring species and habitats, as climate conditions and management goals change. For example, plants might be relocated to support pollinator conservation or the restoration of prairies. Some land managers, in an effort to be proactive in the face of changing environmental conditions, are also considering - Data
A comparison of pan trap and hand net bee collection methods at Badlands National Park, South Dakota, 2012
This data record includes bee species captured by pan trap or hand net in 1-hectare, mixed-grass prairie plots at Badlands National Park, South Dakota, in 2012.Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in remnant and reconstructed prairies in Minnesota and Iowa, 2019 (ver. 2.0, April 2022)
This data record contains arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) operational taxonomic unit (OTU) occurrences with native prairie plant species roots collected from paired remnant and reconstructed prairies, as well as soil physical and chemical property data from these field sites in Minnesota and Iowa.Eriogonum visheri (Visher's buckwheat) seed, pollen, and insects at Badlands National Park, South Dakota, USA, 2014-2015, 2017
This data record contains fitness data for Visher's buckwheat (Eriogonum visheri) for the years 2014, 2015 and 2017 at Badlands National Park, South Dakota, USA. These data include insect visitation, pollen deposited on stigmas, achene size and germination over three field seasons (two field seasons for germination: 2015 and 2017) in four populations (two populations in 2017).County-Level Geographic Distributions for 47 Exotic Plant Species in Midwest USA and Central Canada, Compiled 2019
Geographic distribution data were collected based on county level occurrences (or converted from point occurrences to county level occurrences) within the five focal states (Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska & Iowa) and each U.S. state or Canadian province bordering those focal states (Wisconsin, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Wyoming, & Montana in the USA and Saskatchewan, Ontario & MaHigh forb diversity prairie reconstruction at Neal Smith NWR 2005-2015
This data set consists of data collected during 2005-2007, 2010, and 2015 at Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge in Iowa, USA that were used in the analysis in support of the article titled "Toward improving pollinator habitat: Reconstructing prairies with high forb diversity," which has been submitted to Natural Areas Journal. We compared pollinator habitat, in terms of planted forb richness, covManagement of remnant tallgrass prairie by grazing or fire in western Minnesota, 2016-2017
We studied the impacts of using cattle grazing or prescribed fire to manage remnant prairies on plant communities and soil characteristics in the prairie parkland province of western Minnesota. These datasets consist of nested frequency plot plant survey data, study site and soil characteristics, and management information taken from 73 sites owned and managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceVariation in pollen transport, Badlands NP, 2018
This dataset consists of data collected at Badlands National Park (Interior, SD) that were used in the analysis in support of the article titled "Conserving all the pollinators: Variation in probability of pollen transport among insect taxa," which has been submitted to "Natural Areas Journal." Data collected between May-October, 2010 and 2011, and June-July 2012 included insects found in contact - Multimedia
- Publications
Filter Total Items: 68
Fire regime shapes butterfly communities through changes in nectar resources in an Australian tropical savanna
Fire-dependent savanna provides key habitat for butterflies globally, but we know little about how fire regimes, including fire frequency and season, affect them. These impacts are likely to be primarily indirect, through changes in overall habitat structure, the abundance of larval host plants, and/or the provision of nectar resources for adults. We examined the relationships among fire regime, bAuthorsJulia B. Leone, Diane L. Larson, Anna E. Richards, Jon Schatz, Alan N. AndersenDivergent responses of butterflies and bees to burning and grazing management in tallgrass prairies
Butterflies and bees contribute significantly to grassland biodiversity and play important roles as pollinators and herbivores. Grassland conservation and management must be seen through the lens of insect conservation and management if these species are to thrive. In North America, grasslands are a product of climate and natural disturbances such as fire and grazing. These natural disturbances haAuthorsJulia B. Leone, Nora P. Pennarola, Jennifer Larson, Karen Oberhauser, Diane L. LarsonPotential effects of energy development on environmental resources of the Williston Basin in Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota—Species of conservation concern
The ecosystems of the Williston Basin provide direct and indirect benefits to society. These benefits include carbon sequestration, flood control, nutrient rich soils for agricultural productivity, and habitat for wildlife. This chapter’s main focus is on the effects of energy development on species that occupy the ecosystems in the Williston Basin. We compiled a list of documented species of consAuthorsMax Post van der Burg, Amy J. Symstad, Lawrence D. Igl, David M. Mushet, Diane L. Larson, Glen A. Sargeant, David D. Harper, Aïda M. Farag, Brian A. Tangen, Michael J. AnteauBelowground mutualisms to support prairie reconstruction—Improving prairie habitat using mycorrhizal inoculum
As a first step toward understanding the feasibility of using arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in reconstruction practice, we addressed four objectives: (1) compare root-associated AMF communities of plants between high-quality remnant prairies and reconstructed prairies, (2) compare root-associated AMF communities between plant species that declined in reconstructions and species that were thriAuthorsStefanie N. Vink, Laura Aldrich-Wolfe, Sheri C. Huerd, Jennifer L Larson, Sara C. Vacek, Pauline M. Drobney, Marsha Barnes, Karen Viste-Sparkman, Nicholas R. Jordan, Diane L. LarsonRestoration for resilience: The role of plant-microbial interactions and seed provenance in ecological restoration
With global efforts to restore grassland ecosystems, researchers and land management practitioners are working to reconstruct habitat that will persist and withstand stresses associated with climate change. Part of these efforts involve movement of plant material potentially adapted to future climate conditions from native habitat or seed production locations to a new restoration site. RestorationAuthorsJennifer Larson, Robert Venette, Diane L. LarsonBalancing the need for seed against invasive species risks in prairie habitat restorations
Adequate diversity and abundance of native seed for large-scale grassland restorations often require commercially produced seed from distant sources. However, as sourcing distance increases, the likelihood of inadvertent introduction of multiple novel, non-native weed species as seed contaminants also increases. We created a model to determine an “optimal maximum distance” that would maximize avaiAuthorsJennifer L Larson, Diane L. Larson, Robert VenetteCoflowering invasive plants and a congener have neutral effects on fitness components of a rare endemic plant
Network analyses rarely include fitness components, such as germination, to tie invasive plants to population-level effects on the natives. We address this limitation in a previously studied network of flower visitors around a suite of native and invasive plants that includes an endemic plant at Badlands National Park, South Dakota, USA. Eriogonum visheri coflowers with two abundant invasive plantAuthorsDiane L. Larson, Jennifer L Larson, Amy Symstad, Deborah A. Buhl, Zachary M. PortmanToward improving pollinator habitat: Reconstructing prairies with high forb diversity
Reconstructed prairies can provide habitat for pollinating insects, an important ecosystem service. To optimize reconstructions for pollinators, goals may include enhancing flowering plant cover and richness and increasing bloom availability early and late in the growing season. Resistance to invasive exotic species must also be a goal in any reconstruction, but it is unclear how increasing forb rAuthorsPauline Drobney, Diane L. Larson, Jennifer L Larson, Karen Viste-SparkmanManagement of remnant tallgrass prairie by grazing or fire: Effects on plant communities and soil properties
Tallgrass prairie is a disturbance‐dependent ecosystem that has suffered steep declines in the midwestern United States. The necessity of disturbance, typically fire or grazing, presents challenges to managers who must apply them on increasingly small and fragmented parcels. The goal of this study was to compare effects of management using cattle grazing or fire on vegetation and soil characteristAuthorsDiane L. Larson, Daniel L. Hernández, Jennifer L. Larson, Julia B. Leone, Nora P. PennarolaManaging invasive plants on Great Plains grasslands: A discussion of current challenges
The Great Plains of North America encompass approximately 1,300,000 km2 of land from Texas to Saskatchewan. The integrity of these lands is under continual assault by long-established and newly-arrived invasive plant species, which can threaten native species and diminish land values and ecological goods and services by degrading desired grassland resources. The Great Plains are a mixture of privaAuthorsJohn F. Gaskin, Erin Espeland, Casey D. Johnson, Diane L. Larson, Jane M. Mangold, Rachel A. McGee, Chuck Milner, Shishir Paudel, Dean E. Pearson, Lora B. Perkins, Chadley W. Prosser, Justin B. Runyon, Sharlene E. Sing, Zachary A. Sylvain, Amy Symstad, Daniel R. TekielaAdult monarch (Danaus plexippus) abundance is higher in burned sites than in grazed sites
Much of the remaining suitable habitat for monarchs (Danaus plexippus) in Minnesota is found in tallgrass prairies. We studied the association of adult monarch abundance with use of fire or grazing to manage prairies. Sites (n=20) ranged in size from 1 to 145 hectares and included land owned and managed by the Minnesota DNR, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, The Nature Conservancy, and private landoAuthorsJulia B. Leone, Diane L. Larson, Jennifer L. Larson, Patrick Pennarola, Karen OberhauserLooking to the Future: Key points for sustainable management of Northern Great Plains grasslands
The grasslands of the northern Great Plains region of North America are considered endangered ecosystems and priority conservation areas yet have great ecological and economic importance. Grasslands in the northern Great Plains (referred to as NGP from this point) are no longer self-regulating adaptive systems. The challenges to these grasslands are widespread and serious (e.g., climate change, inAuthorsLora Perkins, Marissa Ahlering, Diane L. Larson
*Disclaimer: Listing outside positions with professional scientific organizations on this Staff Profile are for informational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement of those professional scientific organizations or their activities by the USGS, Department of the Interior, or U.S. Government