Grassland ecosystems are terrestrial biomes dominated by herbaceous vegetation, primarily grasses (Poaceae), with sparse tree or shrub cover, shaped by climate, fire regimes, soil properties, and large herbivore grazing. They exhibit high belowground biomass and root turnover, playing a major role in carbon sequestration, nutrient cycling, and water regulation. Structurally, grasslands are characterized by open canopies, seasonal productivity pulses, and strong coupling between disturbance and primary production. They support specialized plant–herbivore–microbe interactions, including mycorrhizal associations and grazing-adapted floras, and are central to research on biodiversity maintenance, trophic dynamics, land-use change, and climate–vegetation feedbacks across temperate, tropical, and arid regions.
There's a conundrum that has perplexed biologists since Charles Darwin himself. Why do some exotic species take off as invasive pests while others don't?
Evolution
May 29, 2026
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Governments around the world conserve plants and animals in part by setting aside land. Whether as wilderness reserves or as resource management zones that allow industrial activities such as logging, 17.4% of the planet's ...
Ecology
May 19, 2026
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19
A recent Minnesota Pollution Control Agency report found that climate change could cost Minnesotans more than $20 billion a year by 2040. This is just the local cost of a global problem. Ecosystem stability is essential to ...
Ecology
May 14, 2026
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Grasslands, covering 40% of Earth's vegetated surface, play a crucial role in the global carbon balance but are increasingly threatened by climate-driven water scarcity. A new study published in Science Advances finds, however, ...
Earth Sciences
May 13, 2026
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In 2012, a wildfire ripped through 42 square kilometers of alpine moorland in Africa's Rwenzori Mountains, a range of glaciated peaks on the border of Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The blaze, which occurred ...
Earth Sciences
May 13, 2026
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Grasslands and associated wildlife in the Great Plains of North America have declined precipitously and are now experiencing an increase in large wildfire activity. In a Journal of Wildlife Management study evaluating habitat ...
Plants & Animals
May 6, 2026
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Scientists have used an online game to discover the secrets of animal camouflage—such as why tigers have stripes. The study, by the universities of Exeter and Bristol, reveals that high-contrast markings like tiger stripes ...
Plants & Animals
Apr 29, 2026
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A new study led by researchers from the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin reveals how the loss of large mammals can ripple through ecosystems in unexpected ways, even affecting amphibian larvae living in temporary ponds. By examining ...
Ecology
Apr 20, 2026
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19
Teeth are like tiny biological time capsules. They tell stories about ancient diets and environments long after their owners have died and landscapes have changed.
Evolution
Apr 20, 2026
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19
On contaminated land that is too dangerous for human life, the world's wildest horses roam free.
Ecology
Apr 19, 2026
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