Due to fragmentation, where there were once contiguous populations of grasslands, core and edge populations remain, often times separated by large distances and located in different climates. Previous research has largely overlooked edge populations and focused on dominant species in core populations. The purpose of this study is to compare core and edge populations of two dominant C4 grasses, Bouteloua gracilis and Andropogon gerardii, in a reciprocal transplant experiment. Core and edge populations of both species have been transplanted to gardens located at Shortgrass Steppe LTER and Konza Prairie LTER. Differences in population responses to nonstressed and stressed conditions have been examined.

Preliminary results suggest that generalizations across species cannot be made when these populations are in nonstressed conditions both within the same environment and between mesic and dry sites. Understanding the differences between core and edge populations will inform future management practices in grassland ecosystems of North America.