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 are few symbols of the American West more iconic than the bison—shaggy giants that once roamed in the tens of millions before being nearly annihilated by European settlers.
Ecology
Aug 31, 2025
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227
To the untrained eye, the restored prairie lands of Illinois look exactly how you would imagine they looked hundreds of years ago. But many plant species are still missing, and recent efforts—including a newly launched database—aim ...
Plants & Animals
Aug 27, 2025
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48
Healthy rangelands are essential for ensuring grazing and forage productivity, reducing wind erosion and wildfire risks, and supporting wildlife ecosystems. Covering about 30% of the United States' land, these vast areas ...
Biotechnology
Aug 26, 2025
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31
In the battle to manage wildfires, experts often turn to advanced technologies and evolving techniques for help, but could the next breakthrough in fire management be found right under their feet?
Ecology
Aug 25, 2025
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34
Nature conservation policies are trying to safeguard forests all over the world, which is a good thing. But it seems like less-flashy ecosystems are getting left behind.
Ecology
Aug 18, 2025
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111
Even a toddler knows that plants need water. It's perhaps the first thing we learn about these green life-forms. But how plants budget this resource varies considerably. The kapok trees of the Amazon have adopted vastly different ...
Plants & Animals
Jul 31, 2025
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21
Africa is a source of uncertainty in carbon cycle calculations. By some estimates, the continent's landscapes emit 2.1 billion tons more carbon dioxide than they take up each year—about equal to 1.5 times the annual emissions ...
Earth Sciences
Jul 30, 2025
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37
A new study led by Teagasc has highlighted the critical relationship between the drainage status of peat soils and localized rainfall in water table management. These findings will be critical in identifying and targeting ...
Environment
Jul 29, 2025
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31
Hikers on the Konza Prairie may look up this summer and see something unusual in the air. K-State researchers are employing aerial data in their mission to understand and manage the rapid spread of woody plants across the ...
Plants & Animals
Jul 29, 2025
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276
The endangered golden-shouldered parrot, a technicolor species native to Far North Queensland's Cape York Peninsula, is abandoning areas of grassland it usually nests in because woody plants are encroaching upon its preferred ...
Plants & Animals
Jul 24, 2025
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