//www.koonmotors.com/news/earth_climate/grasslands/ Grassland biome. Read all the latest scientific research on the grassland biome, including articles on grassland animals and the effect of global warming on the grasslands. en-us Mon, 16 Oct 2023 15:54:39 EDT Mon, 16 Oct 2023 15:54:39 EDT 60 //www.koonmotors.com/images/scidaily-logo-rss.png//www.koonmotors.com/news/earth_climate/grasslands/ For more science news, visit ScienceDaily. //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/10/231011182135.htm 每年的葡萄酒质量不同而臭名昭著year, but what makes for a 'good year?' Researchers show that weather plays an important role in determining wine quality. By analyzing 50 years’ worth of wine critic scores from the Bordeaux wine region in relation to that year’s weather, the researchers showed that higher quality wine is made in years with warmer temperatures, higher winter rainfall, and earlier, shorter growing seasons—conditions that climate change is predicted to make more frequent. Wed, 11 Oct 2023 18:21:35 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/10/231011182135.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/10/231005204059.htm Grass may transfer genes from their neighbors in the same way genetically modified crops are made, a new study has revealed. Thu, 05 Oct 2023 20:40:59 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/10/231005204059.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/09/230919154938.htm Scientists have found a plant gene that drives the growth of root hairs, the tiny structures that help plants find water and nutrients in the soil. The gene, dubbed 'BUZZ,' causes faster-growing, denser webs of roots and may also determine how plants find and use nitrates, a prime source of nitrogen essential to plant growth. Nitrates are also used in fertilizers that can pollute the environment as runoff, and this genetic discovery could ultimately help plant scientists find ways to grow crops more sustainably. Tue, 19 Sep 2023 15:49:38 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/09/230919154938.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/09/230907130427.htm New research explores the historical shifts in mammal traits and biodiversity loss in eastern Africa. The study reveals how environmental changes disrupted mammal communities and highlights the urgent need for targeted conservation efforts to protect vulnerable species. Thu, 07 Sep 2023 13:04:27 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/09/230907130427.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/09/230907105857.htm New research shows that, in addition to trees, humble grasses also play an essential role in capturing carbon. Thu, 07 Sep 2023 10:58:57 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/09/230907105857.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/09/230905124952.htm Elephants, buffaloes and other heavy herbivores are effective against invasive plants. This is the conclusion of a new study that used Indian data, including data from the world's largest survey of wildlife based on camera traps. But smaller animals can do the same: you don't need elephants to get the same effect, the researchers point out. Tue, 05 Sep 2023 12:49:52 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/09/230905124952.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230829124431.htm In northern Yellowstone National Park, saplings of quaking aspen, an ecologically important tree in the American West, are being broken by a historically large bison herd, affecting the comeback of aspen from decades of over-browsing by elk. Tue, 29 Aug 2023 12:44:31 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230829124431.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230823122553.htm The near extinction of the North American bison in the late 1800s caused a devastating, lasting economic shock to Indigenous peoples whose lives depended on the animals, an economic study finds. Wed, 23 Aug 2023 12:25:53 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230823122553.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/06/230629193243.htm Driven by soaring international demand, extensive areas of grasslands, and forests across South American plains have rapidly been converted to the production of annual crops, such as soybean and maize. This agricultural expansion has been taking place at a staggering rate of 2.1 million hectares a year. A new study shows how these shifts to annual crop agriculture, which relies on rainfall rather than irrigation, is also rapidly disrupting the water table across the large flat regions of the Pampas and Chaco plains and contributing to significantly increased risks of surface flooding. Thu, 29 Jun 2023 19:32:43 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/06/230629193243.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/06/230626164153.htm Sagebrush reduction strategies, including mowing and herbicide application, are often employed to enhance habitat for the greater sage grouse and other sagebrush-dependent species. Mon, 26 Jun 2023 16:41:53 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/06/230626164153.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/05/230518172043.htm A new study found that as woody plants like shrubs and trees replace herbaceous plants like grasses, spot fires can occur farther away from the original fire perimeter. Thu, 18 May 2023 17:20:43 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/05/230518172043.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/05/230516115552.htm Research shows that the numbers of butterflies in meadows and pastures of Europe are in a continuous decline. Grassland butterflies will soon play an even greater role in EU nature conservation legislation. Based on the occurrences and population trends of butterflies, the member states are supposed to document the progress they have made in implementing the planned 'Nature Restoration Law'. Tue, 16 May 2023 11:55:52 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/05/230516115552.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/05/230511164457.htm A new study finds that early human species adapted to mosaic landscapes and diverse food resources, which would have increased our ancestor's resilience to past shifts in climate. Thu, 11 May 2023 16:44:57 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/05/230511164457.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/04/230428130739.htm New research pushes back the oldest evidence of C4 grass-dominated habitats in Africa -- and globally -- by more than 10 million years, with important implications for primate evolution and the origins of tropical C4 grasslands and savanna ecosystems across the African continent and around the world. Fri, 28 Apr 2023 13:07:39 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/04/230428130739.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/04/230427114555.htm Each year approximately 10 million waterfowl fly north to their breeding grounds in the Prairie Pothole Region of North America, but the landscape that greets them has changed. Weather patterns and agricultural practices have significantly transformed the pothole-dotted native grasslands that waterfowl have used for thousands of years. Thu, 27 Apr 2023 11:45:55 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/04/230427114555.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/04/230417142403.htm Temperature and severe drought can drive movement among herds of Plains bison, says a recent study. The team's GPS-backed data suggests that conserving the once-endangered species could depend on accounting for the climate extremes that Plains bison will likely encounter moving forward. Mon, 17 Apr 2023 14:24:03 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/04/230417142403.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/03/230302093400.htm With the arrival of spring, bumblebee queens take their first wing beat of the season and set out to find new nesting sites. But they are flying earlier in the year, as a result of a warmer climate and a changing agricultural landscape, according to new research. Thu, 02 Mar 2023 09:34:00 EST //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/03/230302093400.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/02/230222115919.htm East Africa's iconic rangelands -- under threat from climate change and human activity -- have the potential to recover from repeated environmental shocks and degradation, a new study has concluded. Wed, 22 Feb 2023 11:59:19 EST //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/02/230222115919.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/02/230215143316.htm Most land-based mammals in the Brazilian Amazon are threatened by climate change and the savannization of the region. Wed, 15 Feb 2023 14:33:16 EST //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/02/230215143316.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/02/230208125121.htm Researchers have found that carbon sequestration and plant resilience as well as forage pasture yield can be increased through key adjustments in agricultural management. The results provide a roadmap for reducing pesticide loads in soils and the first steps towards increasing climate change mitigation while improving crop yield in grasslands. Wed, 08 Feb 2023 12:51:21 EST //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/02/230208125121.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/02/230206170609.htm New research shows that degraded savanna ecosystems can reap lasting benefits from a single seeding of native understory plants. Once a diverse understory of savanna plants became established, its long-term persistence was relatively unaffected by environmental factors -- with one exception. Higher temperatures during the height of the growing season were associated with poorer long-term survival among some species, indicating one threat posed by a warming climate. Mon, 06 Feb 2023 17:06:09 EST //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/02/230206170609.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/01/230123123306.htm Seed dispersal is an essential process for the evolution and ecology of terrestrial plants, making discoveries of uncommon seed dispersal agents particularly interesting. Scientists now reveal that the Amami rabbit (Pentalagus furnessi) is a major seed dispersal agent for the non-photosynthetic plant Balanophora yuwanensis. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first known instance of rabbits serving as seed dispersal agents in Asia. Mon, 23 Jan 2023 12:33:06 EST //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/01/230123123306.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/01/230118092047.htm A new study shows that North American bird communities containing functionally diverse species have changed less under climate change during the past 50 years than functionally simple communities. Wed, 18 Jan 2023 09:20:47 EST //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/01/230118092047.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/01/230106082550.htm This study, conducted from 2015-19 in the Thunder Basin National Grassland, may be the first to specifically examine the multispecies impacts of a wide-scale plague outbreak, which reduced the area covered by prairie dog colonies from nearly 25,000 acres to only about 125 acres in the study area. The 2017 outbreak was followed by abnormally high precipitation in 2018, which caused vegetation to grow quickly and taller without the presence of prairie dogs. The researchers found that the mountain plover, birds that thrive when vegetation is kept shorter by prairie dogs, almost disappeared from the study area, while migrant songbirds such as the lark bunting, which prefer taller vegetation, increased in number. Meanwhile, species including ferruginous hawks, badgers and swift foxes declined dramatically as their prey base crashed. Fri, 06 Jan 2023 08:25:50 EST //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/01/230106082550.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/11/221129134521.htm The 1930s Dust Bowl affected heat extremes across much of North America and as far away as Europe and East Asia, according to new research. The study found that the extreme heating of the Great Plains triggered motions of air around the Northern Hemisphere in ways that suppressed cloud formation in some regions and contributed to record heat thousands of miles away. Tue, 29 Nov 2022 13:45:21 EST //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/11/221129134521.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/11/221128112948.htm Zero deforestation commitments may inadvertently leave vital habitats in Latin America and Africa vulnerable to agricultural expansion, a new study has found. Mon, 28 Nov 2022 11:29:48 EST //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/11/221128112948.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/11/221125132024.htm Researchers have shown -- for the first time -- that less intensively managed British grazed grasslands have on average 50% more plant species and better soil health than intensively managed grassland. The new study could help farmers increase both biodiversity and soil health, including the amount of carbon in the soil of the British countryside. Fri, 25 Nov 2022 13:20:24 EST //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/11/221125132024.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/11/221103140810.htm 植物的生长需要光。然而,由于过度nutrients and/or the absence of herbivores less light can reach lower vegetation layers in grasslands. Consequently, few fast-growing species dominate and plant diversity declines. So far, this relationship has been established indirectly through experiments, but never directly by means of experimentally adding light in the field. Now biologists have been able to experimentally demonstrate the dominant role of light competition. Thu, 03 Nov 2022 14:08:10 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/11/221103140810.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/10/221020122948.htm Scientists have puzzled over the origin of Namibia's fairy circles for nearly half a century. It boiled down to two main theories: either termites were responsible, or plants were somehow self-organizing. Now, researchers benefiting from two exceptionally good rainfall seasons in the Namib Desert, show that the grasses within the fairy circles died immediately after rainfall, but termite activity did not cause the bare patches. Instead, continuous soil-moisture measurements demonstrate that the grasses around the circles strongly depleted the water within the circles and thereby likely induced the death of the grasses inside the circles. Thu, 20 Oct 2022 12:29:48 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/10/221020122948.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/10/221019172235.htm The Laramie chickensage is unusual among the hundreds of species of sagebrush, most of which are primarily pollinated by the wind. Wed, 19 Oct 2022 17:22:35 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/10/221019172235.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/09/220927102342.htm The use of virtual fencing to manage cattle grazing on sagebrush rangelands has the potential to create fuel breaks needed to help fight wildfires, a recent study found. Tue, 27 Sep 2022 10:23:42 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/09/220927102342.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/08/220805091224.htm The restoration of grassland ecosystems may need more of a guided, hands-on approach over time, according to a new review of global conservation efforts. Fri, 05 Aug 2022 09:12:24 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/08/220805091224.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/07/220725105719.htm Globally, dairy producers face increasing challenges regarding sustainability, including declining numbers of workers in the agricultural sector, while continuing to meet increasing demand for nutritious and affordable food. Dairy systems must now focus on more sustainable production that reflects economic, environmental, and social goals. A new report explores labor time-use on Irish pasture-based dairy farms in the busy spring and summer seasons. Mon, 25 Jul 2022 10:57:19 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/07/220725105719.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/06/220616135228.htm Cheatgrass, an invasive annual grass that has invaded Nevada rangelands, is responsible for much of the increasing wildfire danger in the Intermountain West. However, scientists have discovered that fire danger can be reduced through the application of targeted cattle grazing in the dormant growing season by attracting the cattle with stations containing protein feed supplements. Thu, 16 Jun 2022 13:52:28 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/06/220616135228.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/06/220614164423.htm Researchers conducted an eight-year experiment that found that climate warming played a predominant role in shaping microbial biodiversity, with significant negative effect. Tue, 14 Jun 2022 16:44:23 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/06/220614164423.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/06/220609131948.htm Extensively used grassland is host to a high degree of biodiversity, and performs an important climate protection function as a carbon sink and also serves for fodder and food production. However, these ecosystem services are jeopardized if productivity on these lands is maximized and their use therefore intensified. Researchers have now described how satellite data and machine learning methods enable to assess land-use intensity. Thu, 09 Jun 2022 13:19:48 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/06/220609131948.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/06/220606111530.htm Trees planted in the tropics as part of nations' reforestation commitments can have unintended consequences, sometimes degrading biodiversity hotspots, damaging ecosystems like grasslands, or encroaching on protected areas. Mon, 06 Jun 2022 11:15:30 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/06/220606111530.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/05/220516124015.htm New research provides the first long-term study of methods to control the spread of wildfire in the sagebrush steppe ecosystem that dominates parts of the western United States. Mon, 16 May 2022 12:40:15 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/05/220516124015.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/05/220510163401.htm A new study has revealed the strongest evidence to date that all bison in North America carry multiple small, but clearly identifiable, regions of DNA that originated from domestic cattle. Tue, 10 May 2022 16:34:01 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/05/220510163401.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/05/220506151438.htm Insect diversity is declining in Bavaria. Land use is a major driver, but the impact of climate change is still unknown. A study has now investigated in more detail how both factors interact in driving insect diversity and what can be done to conserve it. Fri, 06 May 2022 15:14:38 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/05/220506151438.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/04/220418085656.htm A new study shows it's not how much extra water you give your plants, but when you give it that counts. Researchers observed that in summer, plants grow more when given extra water, in addition to any natural rainfall. However, the same is not true in winter. Mon, 18 Apr 2022 08:56:56 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/04/220418085656.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/03/220309104526.htm A new study investigates whether protecting and restoring large animal wildlife can help to support climate change goals. Wed, 09 Mar 2022 10:45:26 EST //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/03/220309104526.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/02/220223104936.htm Researchers have found that soybean crops planted near pollinator habitat produce larger soybeans than soybean crops that are not planted near pollinator habitat. Wed, 23 Feb 2022 10:49:36 EST //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/02/220223104936.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/02/220214154848.htm Research findings suggest that alternative stable states can be maintained through biotic mechanisms, such as root traits, in addition to the commonly understood abiotic factors like climate. This insight is critical to conserving threatened ecosystems around the world. Mon, 14 Feb 2022 15:48:48 EST //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/02/220214154848.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/01/220111153631.htm The sun rises on the savannas of central Kenya. Grasses sway in the wind as hoof-steps fall on the dusty ground. A menagerie of Africa's iconic wildlife congregates around a watering hole to quench their thirst during the region's dry season. Tue, 11 Jan 2022 15:36:31 EST //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/01/220111153631.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/11/211116201522.htm Wale最大的传粉者数量的调查s has found that woodland and hedgerow creation can play a crucial role in action to reverse declines in insects that are essential for crop yield and other wildlife. Tue, 16 Nov 2021 20:15:22 EST //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/11/211116201522.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/10/211018130349.htm Plants need water to grow. So if there's water, shouldn't there be more plants? New research shows it's a lot more complicated than that. Mon, 18 Oct 2021 13:03:49 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/10/211018130349.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/10/211012091852.htm 学者进行研究,证明了耳朵th Observation satellite imagery can accurately assess the quality and quantity of some habitat types. Tue, 12 Oct 2021 09:18:52 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/10/211012091852.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/09/210923132607.htm 传粉者威胁到再保险的全球衰退productive success of 90 per cent of all wild plants globally and the yield of 85 per cent of the world's most important crops. Pollinators -- mainly bees and other insects -- contribute to 35 per cent of the world's food production. The service provided by pollinators is particularly important for securing food produced by the more than two billion small farmers worldwide. An agroecologist points out that yields could be increased if pollinators were encouraged. Thu, 23 Sep 2021 13:26:07 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/09/210923132607.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/09/210902174647.htm The Indian wolf could be far more endangered than previously recognized, say first scientists to sequence its genome. Indian wolves could also represent the most ancient surviving lineage of wolves. Thu, 02 Sep 2021 17:46:47 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/09/210902174647.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/07/210729083437.htm Converting vacant urban lots into greenspaces can reduce blight and improve neighborhoods, and new research shows that certain types of such post-industrial reclamation efforts offer the added bonus of benefiting bees. Thu, 29 Jul 2021 08:34:37 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/07/210729083437.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/07/210708103628.htm Evidence from an ancient eggshell has revealed important new information about the extreme climate change faced by human early ancestors. Thu, 08 Jul 2021 10:36:28 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/07/210708103628.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/05/210525101606.htm Road verges cover 1.2% of land in Great Britain - an area the size of Dorset - and could be managed to help wildlife, new research shows. Tue, 25 May 2021 10:16:06 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/05/210525101606.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/05/210512115657.htm Researchers found that a broader diversity of plants in the Arctic 40,000 years ago supported both more -- and more diverse -- big animals like horses, bison and ground sloths. The research could inform conservation of wood bison in Alaska. Wed, 12 May 2021 11:56:57 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/05/210512115657.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/05/210511201126.htm A new report details how nature can be a powerful ally in responding to the twin crises of biodiversity loss and climate change. Tue, 11 May 2021 20:11:26 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/05/210511201126.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/04/210428090241.htm For more than a decade, ecologists have been warning of a downward trend in bumble bee populations across North America, with habitat destruction a primary culprit in those losses. While efforts to preserve wild bees in the Midwest often focus on restoring native flowers to prairies, a new study finds evidence of a steady decline in the availability of springtime flowers in wooded landscapes. Wed, 28 Apr 2021 09:02:41 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/04/210428090241.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/04/210414100141.htm If global warming continues unchecked, summer monsoon rainfall in India will become stronger and more erratic. This is the central finding of an analysis by a team of researchers that compared more than 30 state-of-the-art climate models from all around the world. The study predicts more extremely wet years in the future - with potentially grave consequences for more than one billion people's well-being, economy, food systems and agriculture. Wed, 14 Apr 2021 10:01:41 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/04/210414100141.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/04/210405123308.htm A new study has shown that ozone in the lower layers of the atmosphere decreases crop yields in maize and changes the types of chemicals that are found inside the leaves. Mon, 05 Apr 2021 12:33:08 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/04/210405123308.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/03/210331085745.htm Biologists have discovered that plants influence how their bacterial and fungal neighbors react to climate change. This finding contributes crucial new information to a hot topic in environmental science: in what manner will climate change alter the diversity of both plants and microbiomes on the landscape? Wed, 31 Mar 2021 08:57:45 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/03/210331085745.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/03/210326122730.htm Every year, an estimated four percent of the world's vegetated land surface burns, leaving more than 250 megatons of carbonized plants behind. A study has now recorded elevated concentrations of environmentally persistent free radicals (EPFR) in these charcoals - in some cases even up to five years after the fire. These EPFR may generate reactive substances, which in turn harm plants and living organisms. Fri, 26 Mar 2021 12:27:30 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/03/210326122730.htm