Research Studies

Wingstem (Verbesina alternifolia) — Wingstem (*Verbesina alternifolia*). Photo by Danelle Haake.

To better understand the ecosystems and how successful LREC is at restoring them, researchers and staff have conducted extensive scientific studies on the ecology of the site.

Some of the past studies are available for download; they are listed below by topic. Click on each topic to show a list of relevant studies.

Birds of Litzsinger Road Ecology Center – February 1, 2001–January 31, 2002. 2002.
Crank, Colleen M. Avian Diversity on an Urban Prairie Fragment. 2009.
Crank, Colleen M. Five Years of Mist Netting at Litzsinger Road Ecology Center. 2012.
Crank, Colleen M. Is the Predation Rate on Eurasian Tree Sparrows (Passer montanus) Using Nest Boxes Influenced by Prescribed Burns on a Small Urban Prairie? 2009.
Crank, Colleen M. and Lyndell M. Bade. A Pilot Study Examining the Avian Diversity on a Managed Prairie Fragment. 2008.
Merwin, Hannah. Nest Predation: Edge Effects at Work in a Fragmented Prairie. 2017.
Rapp, Shannon G. and Stephanie Luttrell. Understanding Mammalian Diversity; The Influence of Suburban Development on Foraging Behavior in Small Mammals: Phase I: Developing a Catalog of Mammalian Diversity. 2014.

Bardon, Betsy. Assessing the Biodiversity of Insects at Litzsinger Road Ecology Center. 2008.
Clinebell, Richard R. Foraging Ecology of Selected Prairie Wildflowers (Echinacea, Liatris, Monarda, and Veronicastrum) in Missouri Prairie Remnants and Restorations. 1998.
Lawler, John P. Methodology of Transect Netting versus Use of Sugar Bait for Surveying Butterfly Assemblages in Tall Grass Prairie. 2004
Lodes, Margie. Microplastic Accumulation in Different Trophic Levels from Deer Creek in Suburban St. Louis, MO. 2019.
Reuther, Keefe D. Early Invasion Dynamics of the Japanese Pavement Ant, Tetramorium tsushimae, in the Saint Louis, Missouri Metropolitan Area. Saint Louis University. 2009.
Slagle, Malinda W. and Richard R. Clinebell (deceased 2006). The Bees and Butterflies of the Litzsinger Road Ecology Center, St. Louis, MO (Summary) 2009.
Slagle, Malinda W. Proposed Litzsinger Road Ecology Center Pollinator Survey. 2004.
Slegesky, Valerie. Insect Size and Foraging Distances for Insects Visiting. 2007.
Turlington, Amy. A Study of the Mutualism Between Senna and Ants via Inaccessible Extrafloral Nectaries. 2016.

Adams, Emily (LREC Intern). Investigation of Spot Treatment Control Methods for Solidago Altissima. 2004.
Baranski, Kiegan (LREC Intern) and James Faupel. “Revised Prairie Restoration Flora of the St. Louis Region of Illinois and Missouri.” Missouriensis, 39: 24-74. 2021.
Black, Sarah (LREC Intern). Do the Fused Leaves of Silphium perfoliatum Prevent Flightless Arthropods from Reaching the Top?. (Also PowerPoint presentation.) 2014.
Carpenter, Hannah (LREC REU Intern). The Effects of Invasive Species and Habitat Management on Native Tree Recruitment (presentation). 2013.
Carroll, Abigail. Woodland Vegetation Patterns at the Litzsinger Road Ecology Center (presentation). 2009.
Cirio, Amy. The Impact of Climate on the Growth of Celtis occidentalis: A Dendrochronological Investigation. 2018.
Fox, Rachel. A Guide to Native Plant Design. 2011.
Harlan, Elizabeth. Removal of Lonicera maackii (Amur Honeysuckle) at Litzsinger Road Ecology Center Using Different Glyphosate Treatments. 2005.
Hiser, Ken, Patrick Sweeney, and Heather Wells-Sweeney. A Preliminary Report on the Establishment and Implementation of a Long-Term Inventory and Vegetation Monitoring Regime in the Litzsinger Road Ecology Center Prairie Habitat. 2002:
- Report
- Appendix A: Taxa Found During 2001 Inventory
- Appendix B: List of Wetland Plant Species with their Wetland Indicator Status (WI)
- Appendix C: Species Listed in 1992 (Ochs, 1993) and/or 1994–1998 Addenda List and Not Found in our Survey
- Appendix D-1: Plant Species Found in Each Quadrat Surveyed, June 2001
- Appendix D-2: Plant Species Found in Each Quadrat Surveyed, July 2001
- Appendix D-3: Plant Species Found in Each Quadrat Surveyed, August 2001
- Appendix E: Composite of Species Found in Each Quadrat, 2001
- Appendix F: Total Taxa (TT), Total of Native Taxa (NT), Mean CofC, and FQI for Quadrats
- Appendix G: Mean CofC and FQI for Inventory Data
Kilgore, Sam. The Effects of the Hemiparasite Pedicularis lanceolata on Prairie Diversity, Quality, and Representation. 2017.
Lee, John. Methods for Euonymus fortunei Removal. 2006.
Lovera, Joshua. A Data Analysis of the Short-term Responses in Plant Coverage Following Prescribed Burns at The Litzsinger Road Ecology Center Restored Prairie Sites. 2016.
McDaniel, Lauren. Green Walls Utilizing Native Missouri Plants. 2018.
Pretz, Chelsea. Preliminary Investigation of Edge Effects on Prairie Plant Species. 2014.
Richter, Lane. Germination and Growth of Native Understory Forbs in Relation to Shade Levels. 2007.
Schack, Brandon. Parasitic Preference of Dodder Plants. 2015.
Sims, Caitlyn M. “Noteworthy plant records in Missouri after a major pipeline construction project.” Missouriensis, 41: 6–17. 2023.
Slagle, Malinda W., Patrick W. Sweeney, Ken M. Hiser, and Heather Wells-Sweeney. “Vegetation Survey of Prairie Reconstructions at Litzsinger Road Ecology Center.” Proceedings of the North American Prairie Conference 20:225–232. 2008
Sweeney, Patrick W. A Supplement to the Report on the Establishment and Implementation of a Long-Term Inventory and Vegetation Monitoring Regime in the Litzsinger Road Ecology Center Prairie Habitat. 2005:
- Report
- Appendix A: Inventory for North and South Prairies: Taxa Found Through 2004
- Appendix B-1: 2002
- Appendix B-2: 2003
- Appendix B-3: 2004
- Appendix C: Mean CofC and FQI for Inventory Data
Turlington, Amy. A Study of the Mutualism Between Senna and Ants via Inaccessible Extrafloral Nectaries. 2016.

Rembert, Adam. 2015 LREC Phenology Report. 2021.
Rembert, Adam. 2016 LREC Phenology Report. 2021.
Rembert, Adam. 2017 LREC Phenology Report. 2021.
Rembert, Adam. 2018 LREC Phenology Report. 2021.
Rembert, Adam. 2019 LREC Phenology Report. 2021.
Rembert, Adam. 2021 LREC Phenology Report. 2021.

Chott, Anna. Water Quality of Streams in the Deer Creek Watershed. 2013.
Haake, Danelle. Water Quality in Deer Creek and its Tributaries. 2011.
Hasenmueller, Elizabeth. Continued Water Quality Monitoring of Deer Creek at the Litzsinger Road Ecology Center to Determine Seasonal Variations in Water Quality and Groundwater Contributions (Monitoring Report: May 18, 2017). 2017.
Hasenmueller, Elizabeth and Emily Deeba. Land Use Controls on the Water Quality and Flooding Responses of Suburban Streams: A Case Study of Deer Creek at the Litzsinger Road Ecology Center (Monitoring Report for July 6, 2017 to September 7, 2018). 2018.
Hasenmueller, Elizabeth and Andrew Shaughnessy. Water Quality Monitoring of Deer Creek at the Litzsinger Road Ecology Center to Determine Groundwater Contributions to Stream Flow and Pollutant Loads (Final Monitoring Report: March 25, 2016). 2016.
Intuition and Logic. Stream Study of Deer Creek. 2005.
Lockmiller, Kayla and Elizabeth Hassenmueller. Using Multiple Tracers to Distinguish Between Municipal Drinking Water and Wastewater Inputs to Deer Creek at the Litzsinger Road Ecology Center. 2018.
Lodes, Margie. Microplastic Accumulation in Different Trophic Levels from Deer Creek in Suburban St. Louis, MO. 2019.
Lopez, Emily. Deer Creek Water Monitoring Research Project. 2009.
Rinne, Maisie. Deer Creek Bank Erosion Monitoring Past, Present, and Future. 2013

Ochs, Clifford. An Ecological Survey of the Litzsinger Road Ecology Center, 1992. 1993.
Missouri Mycological Society Mushroom Foray. 2006.

Davit, William. The History of the Tallgrass Prairie at the Litzsinger Road Ecology Center. 2000:
Hansen. Statement of Management Guidance for LREC Restoration Activities. 2004.
King, Jessica. Designing for Drainage (report | presentation). 2010.
Slagle, Malinda L. LREC Restoration Management History 2004–2009. 2009.

West, B. Jason and Danelle Haake. Estimation of Carbon Sequestration in a Restored Tallgrass Prairie Ecosystem in Eastern Missouri. 2014.