Research at the OK Ranch Featured by Northwest Biosolids

Northwest Biosolids recently highlighted the research on wildlife population dynamics conducted at the OK Ranch in this month’s Research Short Story. SYLVIS has been fertilizing the dryland grasslands at the OK Ranch since 2014, with the objective of improving pastures for cattle grazing. Through fertilization efforts there have been improvements in both soil properties, and the plant feed quality. In 2016, SYLVIS and Metro Vancouver developed a research partnership with the University of British Columbia Okanagan to explore changes to insects and animal communities in dryland pastures that were fertilized with biosolids. The preliminary results from this research demonstrate improved food availability (grasshoppers and mammalian herbivores) and nesting success for different bird communities thereby suggesting a linkage to the food web.

For more information about the project, please contact us.