Karen R. Hickman
Professor
Office: 476 Ag Hall
Address: 008C Ag Hall
Stillwater, OK 74077
Phone: (405) 744-9579
Fax: (405) 744-3530
Email: karen.hickman@okstate.edu
Education
BS: 1985 B.S., Oklahoma State University
PhD: 1996 PhD., Kansas State University
Links  
Curriculum Vitae  
Homepage  
Teaching
RLEM 4571 Senior Seminar
RLEM 5020 Graduate Seminar
RLEM 5760 Invasive Species
Research Interests:
My research program focuses primarily on addressing and understanding the effects of various management practices on plant and animal populations and communities within rangeland ecosystems of the Great Plains.  Native rangelands, grasslands, and pasturelands in Oklahoma as well as throughout the central and southern Great Plains are under new threats from invasion by exotic and native species and exurban sprawl, as well as traditional challenges associated with livestock and wildlife management.  My primary research goals are to further evaluate effects of management practices (e.g. grazing, patch burning, herbicide application, revegetation) on invasive species in Oklahoma grasslands, and to elucidate abiotic (e.g. fire, precipitation), plant-plant and plant-animal interactions that might be involved in limiting invasions of native systems by various invasive species.  Ultimately, my research goals are to establish collaborations with other researchers throughout the US and northern Mexico (i.e. Chihuahua) and continue to collaborate with researchers at OSU in order to conduct research whose results can be influential in the development and application of proper (and adoptable) land management practices. 
Undergraduate Research Projects
Independent Research Projects:  
Lauren Wilkerson: Effects of habitat type and fire on arthropod communities in the Cross Timbers.  2006-2007.
Adam Gourley:  Seasonal differences in oak leaves and the subsequent effect on fire behavior.  2006-2007.
Laura Haynes:  The Effects of Fire and Grazing on Chielanthes lanosa in the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge.  2006-2007
Jonathan Kelly:  Native Plant Recovery Following Control of Invasive Mesquite Brush in Southwest OK
Masheli Robins:  Mapping the invasion of Old World Bluestem at the Stillwater Research Range
Josh Lofton:  Effects of soil aeration on Old World Bluestem production
Recent Publications (since 2000)
*Schmidt, C.D., K.R. Hickman, R. Channell, W.J. Stark, and K.R. Harmoney. 2008.  Competitive ability of native grasses and non-native (Old World Bluestems; Bothriochloa spp.) grasses. Plant Ecology 197:69-80.

*Limb, R.F., K.R. Hickman, J. Norland, T.G. Bidwell, D.M. Engle, A. Alford. 2007.
Digital Photography: Reduced Investigator Variation in Visual Obstruction Measurements for Southern Tallgrass Prairie. Rangeland Ecology and Management.  Vol 60:548-552.

Boyer, T. and K.R. Hickman. 2007. Predicting First Semester Agricultural College Student’s College Performance.  NACTA. Vol 51:50-55.

Hickman, K.R. and J.D. Derner. 2007. Vegetation change after cessation of herbicide application in Blackland Tallgrass Prairie. Rangeland Ecology and Management. Vol 60:186-190.

Harmoney, K.R., P.W. Stahlman, and K.R. Hickman. 2007. Suppression of Caucasian Old World Bluestem by Split Application of Herbicides. Journal of Weed Technology.  Vol 21:573-577.

Taggart, G., P. Adams, J. Hohman, J. Heinrichs, and K.R. Hickman. 2007. Fermi Questions. Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School. Vol 13:164-167. Reprinted in 2008 as: Grade 6 – 10: Fermi Questions.  Virginia Mathematics Teacher 35:38-40.

Schmidt, C.D. and K.R. Hickman. 2006.  Stolon production in Caucasian old world bluestem.  Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science Vol 109:74-76.

Hohman, J., P.Adams, J. Heinrichs, G. Taggart, and K. Hickman.  2006. A Nature of Science Discussion as a Means of Connecting Mathematics and Science.  Journal of College Science Teaching Vol. 36:18-21.

Harmoney K.R. and K.R. Hickman.  2004.  Comparative Morphology of Caucasian Old World Bluestem (Bothriochloa bladhii) and Native Grasses.  Agronomy Journal.  Vol. 96:1540-1544.

Harmoney, K.R., P.W. Stahlman, and K.R. Hickman. 2004.  SEQ CHAPTER \h \r 1Herbicide Effects on Established Yellow Bluestem (Bothriochloa ischaemum).  Journal of Weed Technology.  Vol. 18:545-550. 

Hickman, K.R., D.C. Hartnett, R.C. Cochran, and C.E. Owensby.  2004.  Grazing management effects of plant species composition and diversity in tallgrass prairie.  Journal of Range Management. Vol. 57:58-65.

Hickman, K.R. and D.C. Hartnett.  2002.  Effects of grazing intensity on growth, reproduction, and abundance of three palatable forbs in Kansas Tallgrass Prairie.  Plant Ecology. Vol. 159:23-33.