Tyler Bassett: “Designing Diverse, Effective Prairie Reconstructions With Ecological Theory”

Prairie Reconstruction Initiative Winter Webinar Series, recorded 5 March 2025 Speaker: Tyler Bassett, Botanist, Michigan Natural Features Inventory, Michigan State University Extension Abstract: Ecological restoration aims to promote diverse native ecosystems because biodiversity is fundamental to how ecosystems function, especially when composed of native species adapted to the environmental conditions and species interactions that structure an ecosystem. As with other restorations, prairie reconstructions in the upper Midwest are frequently plagued with incomplete plant community establishment, invasive species infestations, and other challenges. Managers control restoration outcomes through seed mix design, site prep, and post-restoration management, but successful application of these approaches depend on site conditions such as soil properties, landscape context, climatic variation, site land use history. Insights from ecological theory including community assembly, invasion biology, and diversity-function relationships provide useful frameworks for increasing the predictability of restoration outcomes. I will discuss results from research in prairie reconstructions in Michigan, Indiana, and Illinois conducted over the past 13 years. This research has emphasized the importance of diverse seed mixes and site prep for establishing diverse, invasion-resistant prairie reconstructions. Bio: Tyler is a botanist and plant ecologist with the Michigan Natural Features Inventory, Michigan State University Extension. He studies the ecology, classification, and management of ecosystems, with a focus on the rare plant species they support. In particular, he has a passion for understanding and restoring the fragmented and fire-suppressed prairie-savanna landscapes of the upper Midwest. He has worked in private, public, non-profit and academic spheres for over 20 years to bring the science and practice of conservation and restoration together to improve outcomes for biodiversity. He earned a B.S. in Biology from Western Michigan University in 2000 and PhD from Michigan State University in 2017.