Conservation
All Conservation Content
An identification guide to common Dung Beetles of South Dakota
A guide of common dung beetles of South Dakota.
Strategic and Scenario Planning in Ranching: Conducting a Ranch Inventory
During times of belt-tightening, it’s imperative to make sure all the resources of the ranch are being utilized as efficiently as possible. Conducting a complete ranch inventory is a perfect time for ranch managers to take an in-depth look at their operation.
Management for Recovery of Rangeland After Wildfire
Because fire is a natural component of Northern Great Plains grassland ecosystems, prairie vegetation is very well adapted to recover following a fire.
South Dakota Grazing Management Practices: Current & Future
Grazing land occupies 54% of rural land and accounts for a key portion of land use in South Dakota. Many grassland problems can be avoided by using efficient grazing management practices.
Senior Design Project Has Potential to Become Lake Mitchell Water Quality Project
SDSU Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering students, as a senior design project, recommended constructing a retention structure on a property near Lake Mitchell in order to reduce the phosphorus content entering the lake.
Underwater Drone Draws Crowds at Dakotafest
A new project being developed by faculty and staff from the SDSU Department of Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering (ABE) was recently unveiled during the 2019 Dakotafest Farm Show in Mitchell, South Dakota on August 20–22.
Zebra Mussels Impacting Missouri River Reservoir System
In July 2019, South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks officials confirmed of presence of zebra mussels in Lake Sharpe near Fort Thompson after U.S. Army Corps of Engineers staff initially discovered them while performing inspections on Big Bend Dam.
Soil Conservation Practice Adoption Status at the S.D. County Level: 2012–2017
An increasing number of farmers across the state of South Dakota have adopted different soil conservation practices such as no-till, conservation tillage and cover crops. Over time, these practices play significant roles in improving soil health and increasing soil resilience towards extreme weather conditions.
Backyard Biodiversity: Nest boxes for native bees
Many of our native bee species are solitary. In order to ensure that these kinds of bees spend more time in our yards and gardens, it is important to make sure we include places for them to nest.
Swift Fox Status on South Dakota’s Grasslands
The swift fox (Vulpes velox) is a small fox native to the short and mixed-grass prairies of the Great Plains. In 2014, I began my master’s research at South Dakota State University monitoring the population of swift foxes around Badlands National Park in southwestern South Dakota. This population has recently declined, possibly due to various biotic and abiotic factors.