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"Grasslands"
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Map and track grasslands
\"Some of the worlds most interesting animalslions, cheetahs, and bisonlive on grasslands. These fragile ecosystems are often taken for granted and have been nearly wiped out in many places around the world. This ... book introduces readers to this fascinating but constantly threatened landscape\"-- Provided by publisher.
Book
Variation in body size and plumage does not explain apparent survival for a longdistance migratory songbird, the Bobolink
The Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) is a long-distance migratory grassland songbird whose global population is in long-term decline, largely due to habitat loss and intensification of agricultural practices. To better understand the factors affecting their annual cycle, we used a known-age population of male Bobolinks (n = 121) breeding in agricultural grasslands of Vermont and explored how variation in plumage (extent of yellow in cap) and body morphology (body mass and wing length) explained variation in apparent survival. Bobolink body mass and wing length varied between years 2-5. Bobolink cap size did not change with age. However, none of the 3 morphological characters explained variation in apparent survival. Our results highlight the challenges associated with understanding variation in individual quality relative to age, particularly regarding factors that affect demographic processes in declining species. Received 28 March 2022. Accepted 16 July 2022.
Journal Article
Grasslands inside out
\"Huge, far-reaching landscapes of swaying grass or shrubs, grasslands support a whole host of organisms and are one of the most important biomes for people, too. Peel back the corners of the grassland to find out how many different organisms rely upon this ecosystem for survival, from elephants and gazelles to prairie dogs and horses. Discover how each organism functions within its grassland ecosystem, and learn about the daily fight for survival that takes place in these huge hunting grounds.\"--Amazon.com.
Book
UNEXPECTED THICK-BILLED LONGSPUR
We report the first records of thick-billed longspur (Rhynchophanes mccownii) in Nuevo Leon and San Luis Potosi, Mexico, which constitute out-of-range southeastern observations. We observed thickbilled longspurs during February 2020 as part of two wintering mixed flocks, the first one with horned larks (Eremophila alpestris) in a Mexican prairie dog colony (Cynomys mexicanus) in Nuevo Leon, and the second one with chestnut-collared longspurs (Calcarius ornatus) in a dirt dam near the dry lake bed of Laguna La Mesita, San Luis Potosi, Mexico. Both sites were grasslands with high bare ground values (>80%).
Journal Article
Distribution mapping of world grassland types
AIM: National and international policy frameworks, such as the European Union's Renewable Energy Directive, increasingly seek to conserve and reference ‘highly biodiverse grasslands’. However, to date there is no systematic global characterization and distribution map for grassland types. To address this gap, we first propose a systematic definition of grassland. We then integrate International Vegetation Classification (IVC) grassland types with the map of Terrestrial Ecoregions of the World (TEOW). LOCATION: Global. METHODS: We developed a broad definition of grassland as a distinct biotic and ecological unit, noting its similarity to savanna and distinguishing it from woodland and wetland. A grassland is defined as a non‐wetland type with at least 10% vegetation cover, dominated or co‐dominated by graminoid and forb growth forms, and where the trees form a single‐layer canopy with either less than 10% cover and 5 m height (temperate) or less than 40% cover and 8 m height (tropical). We used the IVC division level to classify grasslands into major regional types. We developed an ecologically meaningful spatial catalogue of IVC grassland types by listing IVC grassland formations and divisions where grassland currently occupies, or historically occupied, at least 10% of an ecoregion in the TEOW framework. RESULTS: We created a global biogeographical characterization of the Earth's grassland types, describing approximately 75% of IVC grassland divisions with ecoregions. We mapped 49 IVC grassland divisions. Sixteen additional IVC grassland divisions are absent from the map because of the fine‐scale distribution of these grassland types. MAIN CONCLUSIONS: The framework provided by our geographical mapping effort provides a systematic overview of grasslands and sets the stage for more detailed classification and mapping at finer scales. Each regional grassland type can be characterized in terms of its range of biodiversity, thereby assisting in future policy initiatives.
Journal Article
Biodiversity of grasslands
\"Discusses the variety of living things in the ecosystem of grasslands\"--Provided by publisher.
Book
Endophytic Fungal Community of IStellera chamaejasme/I L. and Its Possible Role in Improving Host Plants’ Ecological Flexibility in Degraded Grasslands
Stellera chamaejasme L. is a widely distributed poisonous plant in Chinese degraded grasslands. To investigate the role of endophytic fungi (EF) in S. chamaejasme's quick spread in grasslands, the endophytic fungal community of S. chamaejasme was studied through culture-dependent and culture-independent methods, and the plant-growth-promoting (PGP) traits of some culturable isolates were tested. Further, the growth-promoting effects of 8 isolates which showed better PGP traits were evaluated by pot experiments. The results showed that a total of 546 culturable EF were isolated from 1114 plant tissue segments, and the colonization rate (CR) of EF in roots (33.27%) was significantly higher than that in shoots (22.39%). Consistent with this, the number of specific types of EF was greater in roots (8 genera) than in shoots (1 genus). The same phenomenon was found in culture-independent study. There were 95 specific genera found in roots, while only 18 specific genera were found in shoots. In addition, the dominant EF were different between the two study methods. Cladosporium (18.13%) and Penicillium (15.93%) were the dominant EF in culture-dependent study, while Apiotrichum (13.21%) and Athelopsis (5.62%) were the dominant EF in culture-independent study. PGP trait tests indicated that 91.30% of the tested isolates (69) showed phosphorus solubilization, IAA production, or siderophores production activity. The benefit of 8 isolates on host plants' growth was further studied by pot experiments, and the results indicated that all of the isolates can improve host plants' growth. Among them, STL3G74 (Aspergillus niger) showed the best growth-promotion effect; it can increase the plant's shoot and root dry biomass by 68.44% and 74.50%, respectively, when compared with the controls. Our findings revealed that S. chamaejasme has a wide range of fungal endophytic assemblages, and most of them possess PGP activities, which may play a key role in its quick spread in degraded grasslands.
Journal Article
Life in a grassland
\"Simple text and full-color photography introduce beginning readers to life in a grassland. Developed by literacy experts for students in kindergarten through third grade\"-- Provided by publisher.
Book
Toward an old-growth concept for grasslands, savannas, and woodlands
We expand the concept of \"old growth\" to encompass the distinct ecologies and conservation values of the world's ancient grass-dominated biomes. Biologically rich grasslands, savannas, and open-canopy woodlands suffer from an image problem among scientists, policy makers, land managers, and the general public, that fosters alarming rates of ecosystem destruction and degradation. These biomes have for too long been misrepresented as the result of deforestation followed by arrested succession. We now know that grassy biomes originated millions of years ago, long before humans began deforesting. We present a consensus view from diverse geographic regions on the ecological characteristics needed to identify old-growth grasslands and to distinguish them from recently formed anthropogenic vegetation. If widely adopted, the old-growth grassland concept has the potential to improve scientific understanding, conservation policies, and ecosystem management.
Journal Article