A new genus and species of dustywing is described and figured from Baltic amber. Geroconiocompsa ostara, new genus and species, is closely allied to Archiconiocompsa Enderlein (Coniopterygidae: Aleuropteryginae), itself known from a single Eocene amber species (Archiconiocompsa prisca Enderlein) and tentatively assigned to the Coniocompsini. The new genus shares with Archiconiocompsa the deeply forked forewing M, Cu forked near the wing base, two crossveins between Cu and A₁, sc-r present in the forewing, Sc₂ not joining Sc₁ in the hind wing, and crossveins present between Cu₁ and Cu₂, and A₁ and A₂ in the hind wing, but has a more primitive form of venation in the connection of the posterior branch of Rs (R_{4 5}) to the anterior branch of M (M_{1 2}), the shorter distal abscissa of Sc₁, and the hind wing r₁ -rs distad the Rs fork, features reminiscent of many Aleuropterygini. The new genus further bridges the morphological gap between Coniocompsini and Aleuropterygini highlighting that the former may render the latter paraphyletic. Archiconiocompsa prisca is figured from a newly recognized specimen in Baltic amber.

Liomopterella pediaecetae, new species from the Oklahoma Wellington Formation, is described as the first North American representative of the genus Liomopterella Sharov, 1961. The previously described species of Liomopterella have been from Russian Permian localities, so the new species significantly extends the biogeographical range of the genus; it also becomes the third species of Liomopteridae known from Oklahoma, the seventh species from the Wellington Formation, and the tenth from North America.

Beaver (Castor canadensis) herbivory can strongly affect the physiognomy and successional dynamics of forests and woodlands near bodies of water. In the central and southern Great Plains, the riparian zones that occur in a grassland / cropland matrix are foci of biodiversity and beaver activity, but little is known about patterns of beaver damage in these areas. We conducted a regional survey of beaver girdling of trees in riparian woodlands in south-central Kansas to determine 1) how the frequency of girdling was related to distance from streams, 2) whether there were differences among tree species in the frequency of girdling and, if so, which species were damaged most and 3) how the probability of beaver girdling varied with tree diameter. The frequency of girdling of trees declined more rapidly with distance from water (< 10 m) than in most northern ecosystems where beaver foraging patterns often have been quantified. Damage occurred significantly more frequently on Celtis occidentalis, Morus rubra and Salix sp. than on Maclura pomifera, Catalpa speciosa and Ulmus sp. Beavers avoided very small- and large-diameter stems, but within the range of stem diameters that beavers gnawed, the probability of girdling decreased with increasing stem diameter. Distance to the stream did not alter the distribution of girdling among tree species nor did it change the relationship between girdling probability and stem diameter. In south-central Kansas riparian woodlands, beavers have the potential to alter woodland physiognomy by reducing the density of the sapling-small adult tree layer. Further, their strong preferences among tree species suggest the potential to alter tree species composition by affecting regeneration patterns. However, at most sites these effects will be weak >10 m from streams.

Etiolated seedlings from Triticum aestivum L. (wheat), Zea mays L. (maize), Lens culinaris Medik. (lentil), Pisum sativum L. (pea), and Phaseolus vulgaris L. (bean) were studied during a four day period following transition into light. De-etiolation was expected to induce oxidative stress in seedlings, which would necessitate increased antioxidant enzymes. Triticum and Phaseolus seedlings were relatively quick to increase chlorophyll (chl) levels in light, whereas dark-germinated Zea, Lens, and Pisum seedlings had lower chlorophyll contents compared to light-germinated seedlings after four days of light exposure. The chl a/chl b ratio began significantly higher in light-germinated seedlings compared to dark-germinated seedlings. Chl a/chl b ratios were not significantly different between light- and dark-germinated treatments within two days of light exposure in Triticum and Phaseolus, but were still different in Zea, Lens, and Pisum after four days of light exposure. Leaf ascorbate peroxidase (APX) activities were higher in etiolated seedlings compared to light-germinated seedlings. By 3–4 days of light exposure, APX activities in dark-germinated seedlings had decreased to levels similar to light-germinated seedlings in most species. Leaf catalase activities were higher in light-germinated seedlings compared to dark-germinated seedlings. Following 4 days of light exposure, catalase activities in light-germinated seedlings remained higher than in dark-germinated seedlings. Thus, these species all respond similarly to oxidative stress during de-etiolation, but to different extents and at different rates. Moreover, different expressions of enzyme activities can take on different meanings, depending on the cellular location of the enzyme and the physiological changes occurring in that location.

Early reactions to and assessments of the work of Leo Lesquereux in Kansas paleontology are examined with attention given to contemporary scientists working with fossil materials from Kansas. Most reactions were favorable, although some commentators took exception to some of Lesquereux's dating of fossil specimens.

George F. Sternberg is well remembered for collecting the famous “Fish-within-a-fish” specimen, a 2 m Gillicus preserved inside a 4 m Xiphactinus specimen, from the Late Cretaceous Smoky Hill Chalk of Gove County, Kansas in 1952. Another, much earlier collected “fish-within-a-fish” specimen was rediscovered recently in storage at Park University, Parkville, Missouri. It was collected by G.F. Sternberg's father, Charles H. Sternberg, who sold it and other specimens to the university from his laboratory in Lawrence, Kansas. A letter dated March 24, 1919 accompanying the materials confirmed that the sale occurred just prior to the elder Sternberg moving to his retirement in California. Most importantly, this specimen is the only known example of Ichthyodectes ctenodon Cope 1870 with stomach contents. Although most of the prey fish was lost due to erosion prior to discovery, it has been tentatively identified as Enchodus petrosus from the characteristics of the caudal fin, vertebrae, and overall size. Due to the posterior location of the prey, it appears that the larger Ichthyodectes died after some digestion of the prey had taken place. Although I. ctenodon has long been assumed to be one of the major mid-sized predators in the Western Interior Sea, this specimen provides the first evidence of a piscivorous diet and adds to our knowledge of the ecology of the Late Cretaceous ocean that covered much the North American Midwest.

We report specific locations, habitat associations and attributes of meadow jumping mice (Zapus hudsonius) captured over a 28-year period on the Konza Prairie Biological Station, Kansas. We used large Sherman live traps to survey small mammals in native tallgrass prairie habitats (by traplines and grids), woodland habitats (by traplines and grids) and planted brome fields (traplines only). Fifteen meadow jumping mice were captured over the 28 years of surveys (a total of >300,000 trap nights). Nine males and six females were captured between late June and October; only a single male was scrotal and no females were visibly reproductively active. Furthermore, meadow jumping mice were from young adult-to-adult body size (13.5–21.0 g), except for a 9.5 g male trapped in mid-October. In terms of habitat association, more meadow jumping mice were captured in woodland habitats than in native prairie (standardized to trapping efforts in each habitat). No jumping mice were captured in brome fields. We conclude that overall the meadow jumping mouse is rare, but might be locally common in some years, on Konza Prairie, which lies near the southwestern edge of its current range distribution.

Saltcedar is an invasive shrub or tree found along stream banks and waterways throughout the western United States. Research was conducted on saltcedar stands located on the Cimarron National Grasslands near Elkhart, KS. Saltcedar was cut during the dormant season. Spring applied treatments included an untreated check and herbicides containing either glyphosate, triclopyr, or imazapyr. All untreated plants resprouted. All herbicides provided greater than 90% defoliation 3 months after treatment (MAT), except those cut-stump treatments containing glyphosate. At 15 MAT, glyphosate imazapyr (5% 5%), imazapyr (10%), triclopyr (5 and 10%), and undiluted triclopyr as Pathfinder II provided ≥ 80% mortality.

Cottonwood trees from 133 sources and 17 states were tested in eastern Kansas provenance study as part of the North Central regional forest Tree improvement Project (NC-99). Sources from the central region of the study grew well. Northern latitude sources had the poorest height growth. Southern source survival was very low. Trees from Missouri grew best. Twenty eight sources had 50 percent or better survival. Height growth had a strong relationship to seed source origin. Populations from latitudes similar to Kansas appear to be best for growth in Kansas.

The first damselfly in Late Cretaceous amber from South Dakota is described and figured. The specimen preserves the forewing apex of a possible hemiphlebiid, a group of relict damselflies today that were apparently widespread and diverse during the Cretaceous.

Re-examination of previously reported micro-vertebrate specimens collected from the upper portion of the Dakota Formation (Middle Cenomanian) in Russell County, Kansas, has identified two teeth of the extinct Carpet Shark, Orectoloboides sp. While the teeth of Orectoloboides have been described from Africa and Europe, the only previous report of the genus in North America is from the Cenomanian of Saskatchewan in Canada. The presence of Orectoloboides in Kansas represents a more than 2000 km southward extension of the range of this group into the central portion of the Western Interior Seaway.