ScienceDaily: Grassland News

Land management options outlined to address cheatgrass invasion

Mon, 13 May 2013 08:33:33 EDT

A new study suggests that overgrazing and other factors increase the severity of cheatgrass invasion in sagebrush steppe, one of North America's most endangered ecosystems. Researchers said one of the most effective restoration approaches would be to minimize the cumulative impact of grazing, by better managing the timing, frequency of grazing and number of animals.

Invasion of the slugs; Halted by worms

Sun, 12 May 2013 20:16:16 EDT

The gardener’s best friend, the earthworm, is great at protecting leaves from being chomped by slugs, suggests new research. Although they lurk in the soil, they seem to protect the plants above ground. Increasing plant diversity also decreases the amount of damage slugs do to individual plants.

As climate changes, boreal forests to shift north and relinquish more carbon than expected

Sun, 05 May 2013 14:59:59 EDT

New research maps how Earth's myriad climates -- and the ecosystems that depend on them -- could move from one area to another as global temperatures rise. The approach foresees big changes for one of the planet's great carbon sponges. Boreal forests will likely shift north at a steady clip this century. Along the way, the vegetation will relinquish more trapped carbon than most current climate models predict.

Dustless chalk may cause allergy and asthma symptoms in students with milk allergy, study finds

Thu, 02 May 2013 08:01:01 EDT

Many of today's schools and school teachers opt for dustless chalk to keep hands and classrooms clean. But according to a new study, this choice in chalk may cause allergy and asthma symptoms in students that have a milk allergy.

Traditional ranching practices enhance African savanna

Wed, 01 May 2013 13:20:20 EDT

That human land use destroys natural ecosystems is an oft-cited assumption in conservation, but ecologists have discovered that instead, traditional ranching techniques in the African savanna enhance the local abundance of wild, native animals. These results offer a new perspective on the roles humans play in natural systems, and inform ongoing discussions about land management and biodiversity conservation.

New grass hybrid could help reduce the likelihood of flooding

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 10:33:33 EDT

Scientists have used hybridized forage grass to combine fast root growth and efficient soil water retention. Field experiments show Festulolium cultivar reduces water runoff by up to 51 percent against nationally-recommended cultivar. Potential for the hybrid to capture more water and reduce runoff and likelihood of flood generation.

For development in Brazil, two crops are better than one

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 17:57:57 EDT

Brazil is in the midst of an explosion of agricultural production, but who is profiting from that production -- wealthy land owners and investors or average Brazilians is the subject of debate. New research suggests that at least one type of agricultural intensification -- double cropping -- is associated with increases in development measures for rural Brazilians.

Southern California sagebrush better suited to climate change, study finds

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 13:21:21 EDT

California sagebrush in the southern part of the state will adjust better to climate change than sagebrush populations in the north, according to researchers.

Soils in newly forested areas store substantial carbon that could help offset climate change

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 11:07:07 EDT

Surface appearances can be so misleading: In most forests, the amount of carbon held in soils is substantially greater than the amount contained in the trees themselves, according to new research.

Research documents lesser prairie chickens

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 13:52:52 EDT

Scientists have been studying the lesser prairie chicken (LPC), a prairie grouse native to the West Texas landscape, for more than three decades. Now this research could be square in the middle of an ongoing debate whether to protect the bird as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.

Global nitrogen availability consistent for past 500 years linked to carbon levels

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 10:51:51 EDT

Despite humans increasing nitrogen production through industrialization, nitrogen availability in many ecosystems has remained steady for the past 500 years, a new study finds.

Catastrophic loss of Cambodia's tropical flooded grasslands

Sun, 17 Mar 2013 22:14:14 EDT

New research reveals the catastrophic loss of Cambodia’s tropical flooded grasslands. Around half of Cambodia’s tropical flooded grasslands have been lost in just 10 years according to new research.

Biodiversity helps protect nature against human impacts

Wed, 06 Feb 2013 13:10:10 EST

New research suggests farmers and resource managers should not rely on seemingly stable but vulnerable single-crop monocultures. Instead they should encourage more kinds of plants in fields and woods as a buffer against sudden ecosystem disturbance.

Vegetation changes in cradle of humanity: Study raises questions about impact on human evolution

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 12:13:13 EST

What came first: the bipedal human ancestor or the grassland encroaching on the forest? A new analysis of the past 12 million years' of vegetation change in the cradle of humanity is challenging long-held beliefs about the world in which our ancestors took shape -- and, by extension, the impact it had on them.

Plant water demands shift with water availability

Tue, 22 Jan 2013 14:32:32 EST

Plants can adapt to extreme shifts in water availability, such as drought and flooding, but their ability to withstand these extreme patterns will be tested by future climate change, according to a new study.

Fluctuating environment may have driven human evolution

Wed, 26 Dec 2012 08:09:09 EST

A series of rapid environmental changes in East Africa roughly 2 million years ago may be responsible for driving human evolution, according to researchers at Penn State and Rutgers University.

Invasive plant species may harm native grasslands by changing soil composition

Wed, 19 Dec 2012 09:28:28 EST

The future landscape of the American Midwest could look a lot like the past—covered in native grasslands rather than agricultural crops. This is not a return to the past, however, but a future that could depend on grasslands for biofuels, grazing systems, carbon sequestration, and other ecosystem services. A major threat to this ecosystem is an old one—weeds and their influence on the soil.

Haymeadows are good for the environment say researchers

Fri, 07 Dec 2012 09:43:43 EST

Traditional haymeadows are much better at supporting biodiversity and preventing water pollution than intensively farmed fields according to new research. This is because haymeadows lose five times less nitrogen from the soil, which is needed for plant growth. However, nitrogen becomes a pollutant if it leaches into rivers and contaminates the water supply.

Using biomarkers from prehistoric human feces to track settlement and agriculture

Mon, 26 Nov 2012 15:10:10 EST

Geoscientists have used a biomarker from human feces in a new way to establish the first human presence, the arrival of grazing animals and human population dynamics in a landscape.

Eliminating sagebrush may hurt rather than help wildlife

Wed, 10 Oct 2012 16:18:18 EDT

Efforts to enhance wildlife habitat by controlling vegetation could actually cause more harm than good. Wyoming big sagebrush is often manipulated to decrease its density and encourage the growth of herbaceous plants. However, this may bring about declines in the population of birds, elk, and other animals.

How to restore native grasslands in the interior Pacific Northwest, U.S.

Thu, 04 Oct 2012 15:06:06 EDT

Weed scientists in Oregon have found that the timing of herbicide application along with reseeding of native grasses offers the best recipe for restoring native grasslands while controlling invasive weeds. Grasslands are a valuable resource for ecosystems, providing soil conservation, food and fiber production, and wildlife habitat. When threatened by invading exotic species, the quality and quantity of forage for wildlife can be reduced, fire frequencies can be altered, soil moisture and nutrients can be depleted, and the costs of land management can increase.

Satellite imagery leaves questions about forage for wildlife

Thu, 20 Sep 2012 13:52:52 EDT

Satellite imagery provides a look at vegetation available to grazing mammals but leaves questions about whether the animals have access to a healthy diet, according to a new article.

Negative cross-resistance helps scientists outmaneuver herbicide-resistant weeds

Thu, 13 Sep 2012 20:34:34 EDT

Kochia, a weed that is rapidly becoming more abundant across southern Canadian prairies and the Great Plains of the United States, can reduce crop yields by up to 60 percent. Fighting this weed has become difficult because more than 90 percent of kochia populations are now resistant to acetolactate synthase (ALS)-inhibiting herbicides. The phenomenon of negative cross-resistance, however, may offer another path to defeating the spread of this weed.

2,4-D resistance found in weeds could limit the herbicide’s future usefulness

Thu, 16 Aug 2012 15:18:18 EDT

Even as crops resistant to 2,4-D herbicide are being developed, populations of weeds are also developing a resistance. A 2,4-D–resistant variety of the waterhemp weed has been found, and its spread could lessen the impact of an herbicide widely used in grassland and crop production. Despite worldwide use of 2,4-D since the 1940s, only 17 weeds were previously known to be resistant to it.

Diversity keeps grasslands resilient to drought, climate change

Wed, 08 Aug 2012 12:19:19 EDT

Grasslands should come out as the winner with increased periods and intensity of drought predicted in the future.

Preserving an icon: Impact of historical domestic cattle hybridization with American bison revealed

Tue, 07 Aug 2012 10:48:48 EDT

Plains bison are an iconic symbol of America on everything from coins to state flags. Now scientists are exploring how the cross-breeding of bison with domestic cattle in the late 1800s may still have unwanted effects on modern populations of the species.

Soil moisture and hot days examined globally

Tue, 17 Jul 2012 08:48:48 EDT

For the first time, scientists in Switzerland have examined globally the connection between soil moisture and extreme heat with measured data. Their study shows that precipitation deficits increase the probability of hot days in many regions of the world. The results will help to better assess heat risks.

Africa's savannas may become forests by 2100, study suggests

Thu, 28 Jun 2012 13:06:06 EDT

Large parts of Africa’s savannas may well be forests by 2100. The study suggests that fertilization by atmospheric carbon dioxide is forcing increases in tree cover throughout Africa. A switch from savanna to forest occurs once a critical threshold of carbon dioxide concentration is exceeded, yet each site has its own critical threshold. The implication is that each savanna will switch at different points in time, thereby reducing the risk that a synchronous shock to the earth system will emanate from savannas.

Ancient human ancestors had unique diet

Wed, 27 Jun 2012 13:20:20 EDT

When it came to eating, an upright, 2-million-year-old African hominid had a diet unlike virtually all other known human ancestors, says a new study.

Grazing snails rule the waves

Thu, 31 May 2012 10:22:22 EDT

Coral reefs and seashores largely look the way they do because large fish and urchins eat most of the seaweed that might otherwise cover them, but a major new study has found that the greatest impact of all comes from an unexpected quarter -- small marine snails.

Plant diversity is key to maintaining productive vegetation

Thu, 03 May 2012 20:05:05 EDT

Vegetation, such as a patch of prairie or a forest stand, is more productive in the long run when more plant species are present, results of a new study show.

Plant diversity is key to maintaining productive vegetation

Thu, 03 May 2012 14:26:26 EDT

Vegetation, such as a patch of prairie or a forest stand, is more productive in the long run when more plant species are present, a new University of Minnesota study shows. The unprecedented long-term study of plant biodiversity found that each species plays a role in maintaining a productive ecosystem, especially when a long time horizon is considered.

Exotic manure is sure to lure the dung connoisseur

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 16:16:16 EDT

A two-year study involving more than 9,000 dung beetles evaluated their preferences for exotic herbivore, carnivore, and omnivore dung in the Great Plains of North America.

Climate change boosts then quickly stunts plants, decade-long study shows

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 12:05:05 EDT

Global warming may initially make the grass greener, but not for long, according to new research results. The findings show that plants may thrive in the early stages of a warming environment but then begin to deteriorate quickly.

Fish, bugs and mercury contamination in small ponds: Why we should worry about aquatic insects and hg contamination

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 16:35:35 EDT

There have been many scientific studies looking at the levels of toxic mercury (Hg) in fish. After all, fish can end up directly on our plate. However, far fewer studies have examined Hg levels in aquatic insects. This is a significant oversight because aquatic insects are an important source of Hg to fish and even terrestrial wildlife.

Climate change helps, then quickly stunts plant growth, decade-long study shows

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 10:32:32 EDT

Global warming may initially make the grass greener, but not for long, according to new research. A new study shows that plants may thrive in the early stages of a warming environment but begin to deteriorate quickly.

How to save Europe's most threatened butterflies

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 09:08:08 EDT

New guidelines on how to save some of Europe’s most threatened butterfly species have now been published. The report covers 29 threatened species. The new report will provide crucial information on how to achieve this goal and meet their international biodiversity targets.

Grasslands soils offer some insurance against climate change

Sun, 29 Jan 2012 15:10:10 EST

The earth beneath our feet plays an important role in carbon storage – a key factor in climate change – and new research shows that in times of drought some types of soil perform better than others.

Overgrazed grasslands tied to locust outbreaks

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 15:21:21 EST

Scientists have shown that insect nutrition and agricultural land management practices may partially explain modern day locust outbreaks.

Better way to gauge climate costs of land use changes

Sun, 08 Jan 2012 14:36:36 EST

Those making land use decisions to reduce the harmful effects of climate change have focused almost exclusively on greenhouse gases -- analyzing, for example, how much carbon dioxide is released when a forest is cleared to grow crops. A new study aims to present a more complete picture -- to incorporate other characteristics of ecosystems that also influence climate.

Climate change may bring big ecosystem shifts, NASA says

Sun, 18 Dec 2011 22:13:13 EST

By 2100, global climate change will modify plant communities covering almost half of Earth's land surface and will drive the conversion of nearly 40 percent of land-based ecosystems from one major ecological community type -- such as forest, grassland or tundra -- toward another, according to a new NASA and university computer modeling study.

Farming crucial for threatened species in developing world

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 08:22:22 EST

A number of threatened species in the developing world are entirely dependent on human agriculture for their survival, according to new research.

Great Plains river basins threatened by pumping of aquifers

Fri, 18 Nov 2011 15:14:14 EST

Suitable habitat for native fishes in many Great Plains streams has been significantly reduced by the pumping of groundwater from the High Plains aquifer – and scientists analyzing the water loss say ecological futures for these fishes are "bleak."

Savannas and forests in a battle of the biomes

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 22:06:06 EDT

Climate change, land use and other human-driven factors could pit savannas and forests against each other by altering the elements found by researchers to stabilize the two. Without this harmony, the habitats, or biomes, could increasingly encroach on one other to the detriment of the people and animals that rely on them.

Visual tour of Earth's fires

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 02:56:56 EDT

NASA has released a series of new satellite data visualizations that show tens of millions of fires detected worldwide from space since 2002.

From tropics to poles: Study reveals diversity of life in soils

Tue, 18 Oct 2011 11:19:19 EDT

Microscopic animals that live in soils are as diverse in the tropical forests of Costa Rica as they are in the arid grasslands of Kenya, or the tundra and boreal forests of Alaska and Sweden, according to new research. Scientists have generally accepted that a wider range of species can be found above ground at the equator than at Earth's poles. But this study proves for the first time that the same rules don't apply to the nematodes, mites and springtails living underground.

Climatic tipping points for tropical forest and savanna: Satellite data reveal where they are most vulnerable

Thu, 13 Oct 2011 18:38:38 EDT

Tropical tree cover will jump sharply between a forested state and savanna or treeless conditions rather than respond smoothly to climate change, according to a new study.

Research and innovation: New modelling results link natural resources and armed conflicts

Wed, 28 Sep 2011 18:56:56 EDT

The EU Joint Research Centre (JRC) has developed a statistical modelling tool which allows the risk of conflict occurrence in developing countries to be analyzed. Combining online news reports with geographical satellite data, the tool establishes a link between natural resources and the risk of conflict. A key advance is the very detailed scale of the data (most being gathered to the square kilometer) and the fact that the modelling is based on the seriousness of the conflicts. When tested, the model successfully identified the correlation between resource-rich areas of land and occurrence of conflict. This approach has potential use in the European Commission's development aid planning and crisis prevention.

Grazing zebras versus cattle: Not so black and white

Thu, 22 Sep 2011 14:19:19 EDT

African ranchers often prefer to keep wild grazers like zebra off the grass that fattens their cattle. But a new study shows that grazing by wild animals doesn't always harm -- and can sometimes benefit -- cattle.

Energy crops: Achieving a balance

Tue, 13 Sep 2011 17:17:17 EDT

There has been much debate about the net benefit of growing energy crops to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. While it is accepted that energy crops can displace fossil fuel imports, the emissions from the cultivation of energy crops were until now uncertain. Agricultural researchers have now carried out a number of research projects to quantify the greenhouse gas emissions associated with these crops.

Farming Commercial Miscanthus

Wed, 31 Aug 2011 08:16:16 EDT

A new article examines the carbon sequestration potential of Miscanthus plantations on commercial farms. Researchers evaluated Miscanthus plantations in Ireland, where planting has been subsidized by the government. Carbon sequestration is expected to vary among different farming practices and soil characteristics.

Most plant species important in various and varying ecosystems

Wed, 10 Aug 2011 13:30:30 EDT

According to a new analysis of plants in grasslands around the world, 84 percent of plant species are important to their ecosystem.

Rising carbon dioxide could reverse drying effects of higher temperatures on rangelands

Wed, 03 Aug 2011 14:31:31 EDT

Rising carbon dioxide levels can reverse the drying effects of predicted higher temperatures on semi-arid rangelands, according to a new study by a team of US Department of Agriculture and university scientists.

Six million years of savanna: Grasslands, wooded grasslands accompanied human evolution

Wed, 03 Aug 2011 13:35:35 EDT

Scientists have used chemical isotopes in ancient soil to measure prehistoric tree cover -- in effect, shade -- and found that grassy, tree-dotted savannas prevailed at most East African sites where human ancestors and their ape relatives evolved during the past 6 million years.

Warming climate could give exotic grasses edge over natives

Fri, 29 Jul 2011 17:57:57 EDT

With rising temperatures and decreasing rainfall, California's native grasses will likely suffer at the hands of exotic invasive grasses, which are more equipped to deal with warmer weather. That is the conclusion of researchers who analyzed all exotic and native grasses in the state and predicted their likely range changes with changing climate.

Grazing management effects on stream pollutants

Thu, 21 Jul 2011 12:15:15 EDT

Research conducted on the water quality of pasture streams suggests that grazing management techniques can have substantial impacts on the levels of stream pollutants.

Plants in cities are an underestimated carbon store

Mon, 11 Jul 2011 19:50:50 EDT

Vegetation in towns and cities can make a significant contribution to carbon storage and, ecologists say, could lock away even more carbon if local authorities and gardeners planted and maintained more trees.

Cool-season grasses more profitable than warm-season grasses; Swine effluent provides fertilizer boost equal to urea

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 18:38:38 EDT

Access to swine effluent or waste water can help a producer grow more grass. But a Texas researcher says the grass is "greener" economically if it is a cool-season rather than a warm-season variety. While the warm-season grasses appear to have a greater growth boost with swine effluent application, the cool-season grasses have marketing advantages that make it a more viable economic option.

Iberian lynx depends on rabbits for survival

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 08:11:11 EDT

Many species of carnivores, such as the Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus), depend on the rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) for their survival. Now researchers have evaluated how certain carnivores in Spain's Doñana National Park responded to the sudden collapse of the rabbit population in the 1980s. The results show that this decline primarily affected the lynx, which was unable to hunt other prey.

New UK land cover map shows habitat distributions in countryside

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 07:15:15 EDT

The UK’s new Land Cover Map was recently completed, providing a continuous coverage of habitat distributions across the countryside at a 25m resolution. The map was developed using a combination of satellite images and national scale digital mapping data.