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Washington University's Tyson Research Center

Washington University's Tyson Research Center is a ~2,000-acre field station located 20 miles from the Danforth campus. Located just outside of the St. Louis metropolitan area and in close proximity to a wide variety of other natural areas, Tyson provides a unique opportunity for environmental research and education.

Tyson's mission is to provide a living landscape for environmental research and education as a component of Washington University's International Center for Advanced Renewal Energy and Sustainability (I-CARES). Tyson provides:

• A landscape-scale experimental venue for studies on ecosystem sustainability
• An outdoor laboratory for important research and teaching opportunities from Washington University and other nearby institutions
• Research and educational opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students related to the environment and sustainability

In addition, we maintain relationships with other organizations, government agencies and private landowners in the vicinity to develop a network of natural areas available for research and teaching activities. For example, we are partnering with the Missouri Botanical Garden's nearby Shaw Nature Reserve on several of our research and teaching activities.

Featured Research and Development

Construction of Experimental Ponds

A set of 12 experimental ponds was built by Tyson Staff and Researchers in the Winter/Spring of 2008. A core manipulation in these ponds, the presence and absence of spotted salamanders, will serve as a cornerstone of Amber Burgett's (left) Ph.D. dissertation. Amber will be examining the influence of larval salamander predation on the population dynamics of frog species that vary in their life-history strategies (e.g. adult longevity).

Additionally, a number of related research projects centering on questions of community assembly will take place in these ponds. If you would be interested in using these ponds for your research, there are many possible opportunities.

News and Events

• Tyson Director Wins Award!

  We are proud to announce that Dr. Jon Chase won the George Mercer Award that recognizes an outstanding ecological research paper; granted by the Ecological Society of America. more...

• TSSS 2008: Seminars and BBQ

  Thursday, July 24: Dr. Sean Jenkins from Western Illinois University will give a talk titled "Fire ecology of oak savanna-glade mosaics". Seminar will begin at 4, BBQ at 5. more...

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