Grasslands Content

Grassland Study Examines Soil Viral Diversity in Drought

Andy Fell — November 09, 2022 - 11:31am

Viral communities across a grassland area are not uniform, and understanding viral dynamics could lead to better insight into how bacteria in soil will react to drought and other climate changes, according to a new study out of 51�ԹϺ�� Davis.

Viruses can affect microbes, the food web, the carbon cycle and other ecosystem processes, including controlling bacteria.

Grasslands More Reliable Carbon Sink Than Trees

Katherine E Kerlin — July 09, 2018 - 2:36pm

Grasslands and rangelands are more resilient carbon sinks than forests in California due to wildfire risks and climate change, a 51�ԹϺ�� Davis study found,. This has implications for the cap-and-trade market.

Ozark Grasslands Experience Major Increase in Trees and Shrubs

Katherine E Kerlin — September 20, 2017 - 2:39pm

Woody vegetation, such as trees and shrubs, has increased dramatically in Ozark grasslands over the past 75 years, according to a study published this week in the journal Landscape Ecology.

The study examines grasslands called dolomite glades in the Mark Twain National Forest near Ava, Missouri. It analyzed historical aerial photos and found that woody vegetation cover increased from 8 percent in 1939 to 59 percent in 2014.