Grassland News

October 20, 2016

Ancient Global Cooling Aided Modern Ecosystems

Imbalance in Nutrients Harms Plant Biodiversity

Teaspoon of Soil Holds DNA of 10,000+ Species

Solar Panels Study Reveals Impact On Earth

Latest Headlines

updated 1:30pm EDT

Antibiotic Resistance Can Occur Naturally in Soil Bacteria

Sep. 27, 2016 — Scientists have found antibiotic-resistant bacteria in prairie soils that had little or no exposure to human or ... read more

Blending Wastewater May Help California Cope With Drought

Aug. 26, 2016 — Researchers have developed an economic model that demonstrates how flexible wastewater treatment processes which blend varying levels of treated effluent can create a water ... read more

New Map of World Vegetation Reveals Substantial Changes Since 1980s

Aug. 15, 2016 — A new system to map the world's 'biomes' -- large-scale vegetation formations -- has been developed that will provide an objective method for monitoring how vegetation reacts as climate changes. The ... read more

Wildlife-Friendly Farming Shown to Benefit UK Moths

Aug. 11, 2016 — Wildlife-friendly farming schemes can help boost the abundance of many UK moth species, a new study ... read more

Surveys of Corn, Soybean Fields Reveal Implications for Pollinator Conservation

Aug. 11, 2016 — What kind of insect pollinators are commonly found in corn and soybean fields? The answer to that question can be found in a new article, say ... read more

Restoring Prairie and Fighting Wildfire With (Drone Launched) Fire(balls)

Aug. 1, 2016 — One ecologist wants to change the way we think about prescribed burns. The professor says he can harness extreme fire to restore grasslands on the Great Plains -- and he has ... read more

Rice Crops That Can Save Farmers Money and Cut Pollution

July 29, 2016 — A new study has identified 'superstar' varieties of rice that can reduce fertilizer loss and cut down on environmental pollution in the process, ... read more

Modeling Predicts Which Counties Could Store More Carbon in Soil by Growing Bioenergy Crops

July 13, 2016 — To help stakeholders in government and business make smart decisions about the best types of land and local climates for planting bioenergy crops, ... read more

Crop Roots Enact Austerity Measures During Drought to Bank Water

July 11, 2016 — With a growing world population and a changing climate, understanding how agriculturally important plants respond to drought is crucial. A team has discovered a strategy ... read more

New Support for Human Evolution in Grasslands

June 6, 2016 — Buried deep in seabed sediments off east Africa, scientists have uncovered a 24-million-year record of vegetation trends in the region where humans evolved. The authors say ... read more

We Still Don't Know What Capturing CO2 From Power Plants Will Do

Why China Keeps Firing Up More Coal Plants

Floods in China Kill Almost 130, Wipe out Crops

Kenya Farmers Battle El Nino Floods

3-D Animated Video Simulates Landscape Changes Over 150 Years

Sep. 20, 2016 — A college student designed a 3-D animated video that simulates landscape and vegetation changes on New Mexico’s Jornada Basin from the 1850s to the ... read more

Changing Weather Patterns Threaten Grassland Sparrows

June 8, 2016 — Two of North America's declining grassland songbirds may be particularly vulnerable to altered weather patterns caused by climate change, according to new research in The Condor: Ornithological ... read more

Ecologists Advise an Increase in Prescribed Grassland Burning to Maintain Ecosystem, Livelihood

May 31, 2016 — At least 50 percent of the tallgrass prairie in the Flint Hills is burned every three to four years or less frequently and is susceptible to becoming shrubland if fire frequencies are not increased, ... read more

Habitat Quality Drives Birds' Reproductive Success

May 18, 2016 — Five songbird species in California's oak woodlands each seek out a different habitat to maximize their reproductive success, according to new ... read more

Paperbark Tree to Unlock Climate Change

Apr. 22, 2016 — Synonymous with the Australian landscape, the paperbark tree is most recognized for its distinctive bark, but it is the leaves that have found themselves at the center of research which could provide ... read more

'Climate-Smart Soils' May Help Balance the Carbon Budget

Apr. 7, 2016 — While farm soil grows the world's food and fiber, scientists are examining ways to use it to sequester carbon and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. But here's the scientific dirt: Soil can ... read more

Biofuel Producers With Poor Soil Should Consider Prairie Cordgrass

Mar. 31, 2016 — Most prime agricultural land is used to produce food crops, leaving biofuel producers to establish crops on marginal land. The soil on marginal land is often salty, making crop production difficult. ... read more

Agriculture Expansion Could Reduce Rainfall in Brazil's Cerrado

Mar. 31, 2016 — Cropland recycles less water into the atmosphere than native vegetation in Brazil's wooded savannas, which could lead to less rain in the region as agriculture expands, a new study ... read more

Atmospheric Nitrogen Leads to Loss of Plant Diversity in Sites Across US

Mar. 28, 2016 — Rising levels of atmospheric nitrogen pollution threaten plant diversity at nearly one-quarter of sites across a widespread portion of the US, according a new ... read more

Ancient Bones Point to Shifting Grassland Species as Climate Changes

Mar. 25, 2016 — More rainfall during the growing season may have led to one of the most significant changes in Earth's vegetation in the distant past, and similar climate changes could affect the distribution ... read more

Lake Erie Phosphorus-Reduction Targets Challenging but Achievable

Mar. 22, 2016 — Large-scale changes to agricultural practices will be required to meet the goal of reducing levels of algae-promoting phosphorus in Lake Erie by 40 percent, a new multi-institution computer modeling ... read more

Sorghum: Not So Ho-Hum

Mar. 16, 2016 — Researchers recently released 40 varieties of early-flowering sorghum bred for use in cooler, more temperate areas. These early-flowering varieties of sorghum are critical for the spread of the crop ... read more

'Fairy Circles' Discovered in Australia

Mar. 15, 2016 — The circular, barren patches of land, forming a highly regular pattern over the dry grassland of Namibia, were thought to be the only ones of their kind anywhere in the world. But a new study shows ... read more

In Grasslands, Longer Spring Growing Season Offsets Higher Summer Temperatures

Feb. 29, 2016 — Grasslands across North America will face higher summer temperatures and widespread drought by the end of the century, according to a new study. But those negative effects in vegetation growth will ... read more

Climate Change Speeds Up Gully Erosion

Feb. 25, 2016 — The erosion of large natural channels by flowing water -- gully erosion -- can wreak havoc on fields, roads, and buildings. In some cases, the sudden expansion of gullies even claims human lives. ... read more

Soil Mapping May Indicate Success of Brush Control Method

Feb. 23, 2016 — Mapping the long-term reaction of woody plants to brush-control techniques can help landowners prioritize management practices to maximize the effectiveness of costly brush reduction, according to a ... read more

60 Years After Pioneering Survey, Wisconsin Prairies Are Changing Rapidly

Feb. 19, 2016 — Between 1947 and 1956, researchers conducted their prairie relic study, surveying more than 200 undisturbed prairie remnants in Wisconsin. Today a graduate student has published a third survey based ... read more

Humans Settled, Set Fire to Madagascar's Forests 1,000 Years Ago

Feb. 18, 2016 — A widespread and permanent loss of forests in Madagascar that occurred 1,000 years ago was due not to climate change or any natural disaster, but to human settlers who set fire to the forests to make ... read more

Best Regions in U.S. for Growing Bioenergy Crops Identified

Feb. 17, 2016 — The regions in the United States where bioenergy crops would grow best while minimizing effects on aquatic ecosystems have now been outlined by a group of ... read more

For a Rare Prairie Orchid, Science Is Making Climate Change Local

Feb. 11, 2016 — A dynamic model that focuses on site scale conservation has been developed to give conservation decision-makers the capacity to assess multiple interacting stressors at the local scale, identify the ... read more

Tuesday, September 20, 2016

3-D animated video simulates landscape changes over 150 years

Wednesday, June 8, 2016

Changing weather patterns threaten grassland sparrows

Tuesday, May 31, 2016

Ecologists advise an increase in prescribed grassland burning to maintain ecosystem, livelihood

Wednesday, May 18, 2016

Habitat quality drives birds' reproductive success

Friday, April 22, 2016

Paperbark tree to unlock climate change

Thursday, April 7, 2016

'Climate-smart soils' may help balance the carbon budget

Thursday, March 31, 2016

Monday, March 28, 2016

Atmospheric nitrogen leads to loss of plant diversity in sites across US

Friday, March 25, 2016

Ancient bones point to shifting grassland species as climate changes

Tuesday, March 22, 2016

Lake Erie phosphorus-reduction targets challenging but achievable

Wednesday, March 16, 2016

Sorghum: Not so ho-hum

Tuesday, March 15, 2016

'Fairy circles' discovered in Australia

Monday, February 29, 2016

In grasslands, longer spring growing season offsets higher summer temperatures

Thursday, February 25, 2016

Climate change speeds up gully erosion

Tuesday, February 23, 2016

Soil mapping may indicate success of brush control method

Friday, February 19, 2016

60 years after pioneering survey, Wisconsin prairies are changing rapidly

Thursday, February 18, 2016

Humans settled, set fire to Madagascar's forests 1,000 years ago

Wednesday, February 17, 2016

Best regions in U.S. for growing bioenergy crops identified

Thursday, February 11, 2016

For a rare prairie orchid, science is making climate change local

Wednesday, February 10, 2016

Radical carbon dioxide removal projects could be a risky business

Monday, January 11, 2016

Second-generation biofuels can reduce emissions

Monday, January 4, 2016

Peering into the Amazon's future

Thursday, December 17, 2015

Growing crops on organic soils increases greenhouse gas emissions, say scientists

Thursday, December 10, 2015

Plants cope with climate change at genetic level

Thursday, December 3, 2015

Dicamba herbicide drift affects non-target plants and pollinators

Wednesday, November 25, 2015

Changing season means a changing diet for bison

Tuesday, November 17, 2015

Small landscape changes can mean big freshwater gains

Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Cow-calf grazing practices could determine, mitigate greenhouse gas emissions

Monday, November 2, 2015

Pineapple genome offers insight into photosynthesis in drought-tolerant plants

Monday, October 26, 2015

Loss of large land mammals could change landscapes forever

Wednesday, October 21, 2015

Wildflowers on farms -- not just crops -- can expose bees to neonicotinoids

Monday, October 19, 2015

More rain leads to fewer trees in the African savanna

Monday, October 5, 2015

Trees tell story of regreening of West African grasslands

Monday, September 28, 2015

Study finds weather extremes harmful to grasslands

Wednesday, September 23, 2015

Human activity affecting microbes in soil

Tuesday, September 15, 2015

How does soil differ across Earth's biomes: Great plains, coastal wetlands, deserts

Wednesday, September 2, 2015

Biodiversity belowground is just as important as aboveground

Thursday, August 27, 2015

Thursday, August 6, 2015

Population changes, priorities cause woodlands to increase

Monday, August 3, 2015

Four million years at Africa's salad bar

Thursday, July 16, 2015

Unprecedented worldwide biodiversity study

Wednesday, July 8, 2015

Groundwater from aquifers important factor in food security

Monday, June 22, 2015

California's wildflowers losing diversity in face of warmer, drier winters

Friday, June 12, 2015

Increased carbon dioxide levels in air restrict plants' ability to absorb nutrients

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

Land management practices to become important as biofuels use grows

Thursday, June 4, 2015

Ancient El Niños triggered Baja bunny booms

Tuesday, June 2, 2015

Tiny birds ‘cry hawk’ to give offspring chance to escape predators

Thursday, May 21, 2015

Birds of the Ice Age give clues how today's birds will adapt

Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Preventing soil erosion, surface runoff

Wednesday, May 6, 2015

Vulnerable grassland birds abandon mating sites near wind turbines

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Aquatic ecologist says dams are boxing in fish, causing them to disappear from Kansas

Wednesday, April 22, 2015

To predict disease researchers ask if plant neighbors are relatives

Thursday, April 16, 2015

Diversity is key to stability, grassland study finds

Thursday, April 2, 2015

Plowing prairies for grains: Biofuel crops replace grasslands nationwide, U.S. study shows

Monday, March 30, 2015

Modeling groundwater to help farmers at home and abroad

Thursday, March 26, 2015

Increased sensitivity to climate change in disturbed ecosystems

Monday, March 16, 2015

Cropping Africa's wet savannas would bring high environmental costs

Thursday, March 5, 2015

'Extinct' bird rediscovered: Last seen in 1941

Friday, February 20, 2015

Out of Africa: Did humans migrate quickly and all-at-once or in phases based on weather?

Thursday, February 19, 2015

Cattle damage to riverbanks can be undone

Saturday, February 14, 2015

Can cattle grazing management technique help capture and store carbon in soil?

Friday, February 13, 2015

Thames study: Rivers can be a major source antibiotic resistance

Thursday, February 12, 2015

European bison did not dwell in the forest: Modern conservation concepts are in need of revision

Monday, January 26, 2015

Sagebrush ecosystem recovery hobbled by loss of soil complexity at development sites

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Researchers introduce macrosystems approach to study stream ecology

Tuesday, January 13, 2015

Crops can do their own weed control

Thursday, January 8, 2015

Regional patterns of soot, dirt on North American snow discovered

Thursday, December 11, 2014

New insights into origins of agriculture could help shape future of food

Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Climate change in drylands studied

Monday, October 20, 2014

Preserving the great plains grasslands

Thursday, October 16, 2014

Tuesday, October 14, 2014

New discovery will enhance yield and quality of cereal and bioenergy crops

Friday, October 10, 2014

Middle Eastern vegetation resistant to climate change: Ecosystems withstand more than seven lean years

Thursday, October 9, 2014

Balancing birds and biofuels: Grasslands support more species than cornfields

Wednesday, October 8, 2014

Invasive plant wins competition against its native cousin

Thursday, October 2, 2014

Creepy crawlers play key role in structure of grasslands

Thursday, September 25, 2014

Water research tackles growing grassland threat: Trees

Saturday, September 6, 2014

Ecologist stresses importance of wetlands, grasslands in midwest

Monday, August 11, 2014

Ravens rule Idaho's artificial roosts

Friday, August 1, 2014

USDA report on greenhouse gas emissions: Uniform tools to measure, manage greenhouse gas emissions

Thursday, July 31, 2014

Benefits to burning Flint Hills prairie in fall and winter

Monday, July 28, 2014

Europe's habitat and wildlife is vulnerable to climate change

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

Socio-economic change more of a problem for nomads than climate change

Thursday, June 26, 2014

Organic agriculture boosts biodiversity on farmlands

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Win-win-win solution for biofuel, climate, and biodiversity

Monday, June 23, 2014

Habitat loss, not poison, better explains grassland bird decline

Monday, June 16, 2014

Conserving remnants of West African tropical forest

Monday, June 9, 2014

Restoring grasslands: Ant diversity indicates restored grasslands

Thursday, June 5, 2014

New EU reforms fail European wildlife, experts argue

Sunday, May 25, 2014

Buried fossil soils found to be awash in carbon

Tuesday, May 20, 2014

Fairy circles apparently not created by termites after all

Friday, May 9, 2014

Colonization of Brazil by the cattle egret

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

As carbon dioxide levels rise, some crop nutrients will fall, researchers find

Thursday, April 17, 2014

Saving the lesser prairie chicken: What landowners should know

Wednesday, April 16, 2014

NutNet: New model for global research

Thursday, April 3, 2014

Sage grouse losing habitat to fire as endangered species decision looms

Tuesday, April 1, 2014

Not so dirty: Methane fuels life in pristine chalk rivers