The Best Biome: Recent Episodes
Rachel Roth and Nicole Brown
Two prairie biologists make the ever-growing argument for why grasslands are the world's best biome.
The fastest land animal in North America, second fastest in the world: the graceful, wonderful, pronghorn. Nicole shares all the reasons these icons of the American prairie are truly the best from their evolutionary history to their epic stare battles between each other and rump flashes to warn of predators.
Primary Sources:
- Kitchen, D. 1974. Social Behavior and Ecology of the Pronghorn. Wildlife Monographs, No. 38., pp 3-96.
- Bender, L., Rosas-Rosas, O.,Hartsough, M., Rodden, C., Morrow, P. 2019. Effect of predation on adult pronghorn Antilocapra americana (Antilocapridae) in New Mexico, Southwestern USA. Mammalia, 2019, Vol 83, Issue 3 p.248-254.
- On the Move: Pronghorn Migrations Across Seasons. The Nature Conservancy and National Wildlife Federation.
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Patas Monkeys are weird little guys with fabulous mustaches and very intricate relationships with a special tree on the African savannah. We talk acacias, ants, and the Lorax as Allan tries to make Nicole love just a single primate.
Photos and more are at our site.
Primary Sources:
- Palmer, T., Stanton, M., Young T., Goheen, J., Pringle, R., and Karban, R. 2008. Breakdown of an ant-plant mutualism follows the loss of large herbivores from an African savanna.
- Isbell, L. and Young, T. 2007. Interspecific and temporal variation of ant species within Acacia drepanolobium ant domatia, a staple food of patas monkeys (Erythrocebus patas) in Laikipia, Kenya
- Dr. Seuss and the real Lorax. Dominy, N., Winters, S., Pease, D., Higham, J. 2018. Dr Seuss and the real Lorax. Nature Ecology & Evolution.
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This is a special podcast swap episode where we host Kindred Podcast's Power of Fire episode. Learn about the history of fire, how it shapes the landscape and people that live there.
Speakers:Tony Incashola Jr., forest manager for CSKT (Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes), and Stephanie Gillin, information and education program manager and former wildlife biologist for the CSKT at the Flathead Indian Reservation.
Kindred Podcast hosts: Kate and Jen. Producer: Kat Gatti.
Primary Sources:
- Kindred Podcast website
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The long-legged, sickle claw wielding seriema is a wonderful bird that provides insight into the extinct terror birds of old. Rachel explains the link between past and present and we ponder whether or not scientists ever bother actually looking at birds.
Photos and more are at our site.
Primary Sources:
- Oswald, T., Curtice, B., Bolander, M., Lopez, C. January 2023. Observation of Claw Use and Feeding Behavior of the Red-Legged Seriema and Its Implication for Claw Use in Deinonychosaurs. Journal of the Arizona-Nevada Academy of Science.
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The conservation story of Canada's polar-vortex-loving Wood Bison is one of colossal mistakes, stacked odds, and (to our gleeful surprise) hope and optimism. These animals have survived drowning, disease, and hybridization, and have gone on to... success? Allan explores this topic in today's episode.
Primary Sources:
2018 Wood Bison Recovery Strategy (SARA Series)https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/species-risk-public-registry/recovery-strategies/wood-bison-2018.html#toc11
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It's snowy and getting colder where we're at, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't go outside. Rachel gives a compelling argument as to why winter is the best time of year for birding and gives insight into the Christmas Bird Count: a citizen science project dating back over a hundred years.
Learn more about the Christmas Bird Count here.
Primary Sources:
- Gill, F. B., Prum, R. O., & Robinson, S. K. (2019). Ornithology. W.H. Freeman, Macmillan Learning.
- Sibley, D. (2020). What it’s like to be a bird: From flying to nesting, eating to singing -- what birds are doing, and why. Alfred A. Knopf. Affiliate purchase link.
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This episode is a little different. We celebrate spooky season with the haunting tales of feldgeist, Sinkhole Sam, and the Ohio Grassman. These stories haunt the minds of those who visit prairies and fields across the globe. Be weary, you never know what's lurking in the tall grass.
Photos and more are at our site.
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Grasshopper mice are small but fierce. They howl like wolves, stalk their prey like cats, and finish up with a quick face clean. These solitary animals like to live life dangerously and enjoy even venomous meals.
Photos and more are at our site.
Primary Sources:
- Grasshopper Mouse Hunting and Howling
- Animal Diversity Web. Regents of the University of Michigan.
- USDA Bulletin: Life History and Habits of Grass-hopper mice, genus Onychomys. (1939). [PDF]
- Richardson, D., Karczmar, A. G., & Scudder, C. L. (1972). Intergeneric behavioral differences among methamphetamine treated mice. Psychopharmacologia, 25(4), 347–375.
- Tracey Switek. Onychomys: Tiny Terror of the Western Deserts.
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Nicole talks painted dogs: a surprisingly wholesome and fun-loving animal. They are excellent hunters, take care of not just their pups but their elderly, and rarely squabble amongst themselves.
Photos and more are at our site.
Primary Sources:
- Painted Dog Conservation website.
- Painted Dog Research Trust website.
- Robert L. Robbins. (2000). Vocal Communication in Free-Ranging African Wild Dogs (Lycaon pictus). Behaviour, 137(10), 1271–1298.
- COZZI, G., BEHR, D. M., WEBSTER, H. S., et al (2020). African Wild Dog Dispersal and Implications for Management. The Journal of Wildlife Management, 84(4), 614–621.
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Enjoy this episode of very good facts and very good nonsense. We revisit a nice game of stump the podcast host, this time with more bug viscera and talking ourselves out of an obvious answer.
Our Info: Website Facebook Twitter info@grasslandgroupies.org
In the Páramo grasslands of South America is a cloud covered land where a unique ecosystem thrives. Allan tells us all about a plant that drinks clouds plus the miraculous little hummingbirds that call this place home.
Photos and more are at our site.
Primary Sources:
- Luteyn, J. 1999. Páramos: A Checklist of Plant Diversity, Geographical Distribution, and Botanical Literature. Taxon, Vol. 48, No. 3.
- Buytaert, W et al. 2005. Clay mineralogy of the soils in the south Ecuadorian paramo region. Geoderman Vol 127, Iss 1-2.
- Carrington, D. 2019. In the land of El Dorado, clean water has become ‘blue gold’. The Guardian.
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Did you know meerkats are far more murderous than they seem or that their burrows can be as wide as a Purple Worm's? All this and more as we delve underground and find out why they can be so aggressive and who would win in a fight: 1000 meerkats or Nicole.
Primary Sources:
- Gómez, J., Verdú, M., González-Megías, A., Méndez, M. 2016. The phylogenetic roots of human lethal violence. Nature 538, 233-237.
- Dyble, M., Houslay, T., Manser, M., Clutton-Brock, T. 2019. Intergroup aggression in meerkats. Proc. R. Soc. B. 286: 20161993.
- Young A., and Clutton-Brock, T. 2006. Infanticide by subordinates influences reproductive sharing in cooperatively breeding meerkats. Biol. Lett.2385–387.
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Conservation can be DEPRESSING, so for Mental Health Month we decided to share ONLY positive news and stories (after taking a little break for our brains). Rewire those neurons everybody, because it's not all bleak.
Good news so far in May:
- Biden-Harris Administration announced $36 million for national forests and grasslands
- Dakota Prairie Grasslands received $464,000 of that to improve access.
- US Department of Agriculture and the Interior announced $2.8 billion in funding for 2024 authorized by the Great American Outdoors Act to improve access to management and recreation opportunities on national forests and grasslands.
- Proposed CRP Reform Act of 2023
- TNC funding 9 grasslands research projects thru 2023 JE Weaver Small Grands Awards
- Arizona is restoring migration routes for pronghorn and mule deer
- South Dakota spending $1 mil restoring grasslands
- No-Mow-Summer in Dengibghshire County, Wales
- Earless Dragon burrows (Video)
- Saving Phu My, one of the Mekong Delta’s last natural grasslands
- UN International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists
- WWF Policy Actions to Save Grasslands
- There's still time to save the Cerrado! (New Research)
- Cargill got sued over Cerrado deforestation again.
Good news deep dives:
- Success in the Savanna: Blue-throated Macaw Update
- 2022 State of the Birds Report
- North American Grasslands Conservation Act
- Great Plains Ecotourism Coalition
- Utah Wildlife Board approves changes to Utah prairie dog rule
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Wherein Rachel makes a definitive list of best bird nests in North American grasslands.
Primary Sources:
- A Field Guide to Birds Nests by Hal Harrison
- The Birder's Handbook by Paul R. Ehrlich
- Madison Audubon's Into the Nest
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Ostriches are one of the strangest birds we've ever talked about. They are the world's biggest bird and toughest survivor. They nest together, have radiators for necks, and can drink saltwater.
Photos and more are at our site.
Primary Sources:
- "Strangest Bird Alive". 2016. National Geographic. Documentary.
- Schou, M.F., Bonato, M., Engelbrecht, A. et al. Extreme temperatures compromise male and female fertility in a large desert bird. Nat Commun 12, 666 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-20937-7
- Knut Schmidt-Nielsen, John Kanwisher, Robert C. Lasiewski, Jerome E. Cohn, William L. Bretz, Temperature Regulation and Respiration in the Ostrich, The Condor, Volume 71, Issue 4, 1 October 1969, Pages 341–352, https://doi.org/10.2307/1365733
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Soils define habitats as much as the plantlife, so let's talk about that! How do you identify a soil species, and should grassland ecosystem restorations include soil microbe transplants?
Photos and more are at our site.
Primary Sources:
- Prairie: A Natural History of the Heart of North America by Candace Savage [Affiliate Bookshop Link]
- Current and Future Perspectives on Microbially Focused Restoration Strategies in Tallgrass Prairies: [Link]
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Basic midwest feeder bird or mysterious exotic tundra sparrow? Actually, both! Harris's Sparrows, one of the most enigmatic North American sparrows, are about to travel well out of reach into the remote frigid north, so let's gossip about them before they're gone. Only a handful of studies have been done with this species, and to this day we lack pretty basic Breeding Bird Survey information about their populations.
Primary Sources:
- Norment, C. J., S. A. MacDougall-Shackleton, D. J. Watt, P. Pyle, and M. A. Patten (2020). Harris's Sparrow(Zonotrichia querula ), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (P. G. Rodewald, Editor). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.harspa.01
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If you haven't started thinking about your gardens yet, now is the perfect time to get started planning. Nicole walks us through gardening for native habitats, wildlife, and how to get your neighbors on board too.
Photos and more are at our site.
Further Reading:
- Find out more about Bee City Wichita at our website
- Dyck Arboretum of the Plains "Prairie Notes" blog
- Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, wildflower.org - database of US plants
- GrowNative.org - database with lower Midwest focus
- FloraVeg.eu - Europe native plant/habitat database
ContactWebsite Facebook Twitterinfo@grasslandgroupies.org
A wholesome episode about secure love, forming bonds under stress, and human connection through the lens of a grasslands specialist: the prairie vole.
Photos and more are at our site.
Primary Sources:
- NPR on the hot new vole research: https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2023/01/27/1152009605/prairie-voles-oxytocin-love-hormone-bonding-study
- Why Prairie Voles are our animal model: The Prairie Vole (Microtus ochrogaster): An Animal Model for Behavioral Neuroendocrine Research on Pair Bonding.
- Wild Prairie Vole Social Organization: Social Organization of the Prairie Vole (Microtus ochrogaster)
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Episode NotesIt's so hard to even think of monkeys that aren't forest dwellers, but baboons as a group are ground-dwelling grasslanders whose habitat use and social structure might help us learn about our own hominid ancestors. In this episode, Allan combines ecology and anthropology to discuss some grasslands monkeys.
Photos and more are at our site.
Primary Sources:
- King, G.E. 2022. Baboon perspectives on the ecology and behavior of early human ancestors. PNAS Vol. 119, No. 45
- Norton, G. W. et al., 1987. Baboon Diet: A Five-Year Study of Stability and Variability in the Plant Feeding and Habitat of the Yellow Baboons (Papio cynocephalus) of Mikumi National Park, Tanzania, Folia Primatologica, 48(1-2), 78-120.
- Fagot, J. et al. 2019. The baboon: A model for the study of language evolution. Journal of Human Evolution, Volume 126, Pages 39-50
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Episode NotesThe chamois is a goat-antelope from the rolling alpine meadow scenery of European mountains, and today's episode is a straightforward peek into the idyllic life of this animal that's (for once) doing alright! Unless you count the mandatory 7 years of grizzled aging in the mountains and their shrinking body masses. (I don't!)
Photos and more are at our site.
Primary Sources:
- Gunderson, D. 2003. "Rupicapra rupicapra" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed January 19, 2023 at https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Rupicapra_rupicapra/
- Haack, M. 2002. "Rupicapra pyrenaica" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed January 19, 2023 at https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Rupicapra_pyrenaica/
- Mason, T. H. E., Apollonio, M., Chirichella, R., Willis, S. G., & Stephens, P. A. (2014). Environmental change and long-term body mass declines in an alpine mammal. Frontiers in Zoology, 11(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12983-014-0069-6
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Episode NotesYank your concept of crayfish out of the water. In this episode, Nicole walks us through one of her favorite arthropod groups and makes a pretty good case for why prairie lovers should love these little crustaceans that burrow deep into the prairie. She also makes us rethink crayfish boils forever.
Primary Sources:
- Florey, C. 2019. Description of Burrow Structure for Four Crayfish Species. [Master's thesis, Bowling Green State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1555413606702675
- Fossat, P., Bacque-Cazenave, J., et al. 2014. Anxiety-like behavior in crayfish is controlled by serotonin. Science 344(6189): 1293-1297. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1248811 \
- Huber, R., Imeh-Nathaniel, A., Nathaniel, T., et al. 2018. Drug-sensitive Reward in Crayfish: Exploring the Neural Basis of Addiction with Automated Learning Paradigms. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.beproc.2018.03.015
- Dasho, I., and DiStefano, B. 2020. Burrowing Crayfish. Missouri Department of Conservation. https://mdc.mo.gov/magazines/conservationist/2020-03/burrowing-crayfish
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Episode NotesIn this episode, Rachel goes down the opposite of a rabbit hole as we discuss a single widely-cited paper from 2018. Take a look at Africa's savanna plants and what their adaptations mean for conservation, human impacts, and climate change across the continent.
Photos and more are at our site.
Primary Sources:
- Osborne, C. P., Charles-Dominique, T., Stevens, N., Bond, W. J., Midgley, G., & Lehmann, C. E. (2018). Human impacts in African savannas are mediated by plant functional traits. New Phytologist, 220(1), 10–24. https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.15236
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Episode NotesHave an existential crisis about the inner lives of bees with us! In this episode, Nicole attempts to teach us a few things about bumblebees while under constant antagonization to slander honeybees. This overview of bumblebees tumbles into some very specific studies on energy, cognition and learning, and even play behaviors for this big bumbly group of native social bees.
Photos and more are at our site.
Primary Sources:
- Bumblebee nests. Bumblebee Conservation Trust. https://www.bumblebeeconservation.org/bumblebee-nests/
- Dona, H., Solvi, C., Kowalewska, A., et al. 2022. Do bumble bees play? Animal Behavior 194:239-251. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2022.08.013
- Buatois, A., Dubois, T., Lihoreau, M. 2020. Bumblebees develop more efficient traplines than honey bees. Research Center on Animal Cognition. https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.12.22.423907
- Lamke, K., Hatfield, R. 2020. Five Ways To Support Queen Bumble Bees This Spring. Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation. https://xerces.org/blog/five-ways-to-support-queen-bumble-bees-this-spring
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Episode Notes What does the American South and the Tallgrass Prairie have in common? Their grasslands support an elusive little grassland specialist that the old timey ornithologists roast way too hard: the Henslow's Sparrow. In this episode we explore the beloved longleaf pine savannas of the southern US, and ask why a little grassland sparrow who hates trees chooses to spend its winters among the longleaf pines.
Photos and more are at our site.
Primary Sources:
- Harrington, Tim; Miller, Karl; Parks, Noreen. 2013. Restoring a disappearing ecosystem: the longleaf pine savanna. Science Findings 152. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 6 p.
- Herkert, J. R., P. D. Vickery, and D. E. Kroodsma (2020). Henslow's Sparrow (Centronyx henslowii), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (P. G. Rodewald, Editor). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.henspa.01
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Episode Notes This rabbity rodent of South America's grasslands is a common sight in zoos, but has one of the strangest social structures we've talked about in mammals. What makes this strictly monogamous-til-death, pair-bonded, troupe-travelling mammal SO antisocial? How does that work, and what else have we been missing all this time? Nicole shares about the Patagonian Mara (Cavy) in this episode of The Best Biome.
Thanks for listening!
Primary Sources: Photos and more at our site!
- Genest, H. & Dubost, G. (1974). Pair-living in the Mara (Dolichotis patagonum z.). Mammalia 38(2), 155-162. https://doi.org/10.1515/mamm.1974.38.2.155
- Ganslosser, U. & Wehnelt, S. (1997). Juvenile development as part of the extraordinary social system of the Mara. Mammalia 61(1), 3-16. https://doi.org/10.1515/mamm.1997.61.1.3
- Animal Diversity Web. “Patagonian mara”. University of Michigan. https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Dolichotis_patagonum/
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CW: we talk about animal genitalia in this episode in the last 30 mins (it's hard to avoid with hyenas)
Hyenas have historically been painted in a pretty negative light, only for recent PR teams to praise their strong women leaders, successful hunts, and sophisticated societies. And while we're all for praising the underdog, a lot of recent media is half truths. Let's all learn to appreciate them for what they are: rowdy stinky scavengers.
Thanks for listening to our weekly exploration of why grasslands are the best biome. We'll see you in two weeks!
Primary Sources: Be sure to check out photos and more at our site!
- Holekamp Lab website (spotted hyena researchers)
- Hyena Project website (also spotted hyenas researchers)
- Schmidtke, M. Brown Hyena. Animal Diversity Web.
- Howard, C. Striped Hyena. Animal Diversity Web.
- Stump, M. Aardwolf. Animal Diversity Web.
- Frank, Laurence G.; Weldele, Mary L.; Glickman, Stephen E. (1995). Masculinization costs in hyaenas. , 377(6550), 584–585. doi:10.1038/377584b0
- Holekamp, K.E., Smale, L., Berg, R. and Cooper, S.M. (1997), Hunting rates and hunting success in the spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta). Journal of Zoology, 242: 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-7998.1997.tb02925.x
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We are always fans of highlighting underappreciated animals and this week we tackle the ibis. Bin chicken or noble alarm clock? You decide. One thing's for sure: their poop is a problem. Thank you to our guest this week: Allan Saylor!
Thanks for listening, we'll see you again in two weeks!
Primary Sources: Be sure to check out photos and more at our site!
- Curicaca (Theristicus caudatus). WikiAves. Retrieved January 25, 2022, from https://en.wikiaves.com/wiki/curicaca#
- Zimmerman, M. (2019, August 14). Bird Streamer outages. INMR. Retrieved January 19, 2022, from https://www.inmr.com/bird-streamer-outages/
- Moroni, E., Batisteli, A.F., & Guillermo‐Ferreira, R. (2017). Toco Toucan (Ramphastos toco) predation on Buff-necked Ibis (Theristicus caudatus) nests). Ornitologia Neotropical, 28, 291-294.
- Buff-necked Ibis call from xeno-canto, recorded by András Schmidt
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Content Warning: talk of blood. The last of our "spooky"-themed episodes, let's talk about ticks! How do they feed, what kind of diseases do they carry, and how best to prevent getting sick from them. Did you know there are over 900 species of ticks and they live quite literally everywhere? Well, now you do. Be safe out there.
Thanks for listening to our exploration of why grasslands are the best biome. We'll see you in two weeks!
Primary Sources: Be sure to check out photos and more at our site!
- Find the Best Repellant for You. Environmental Protection Agency.
- Scallan, M. 2015. How do ticks... tick? Smithsonian Institution. Interview.
- Centers for Disease Control. 2019. Tickborne Diseases of the United States.
- European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Tick factsheets.
- Simo, L., Kazimirova, M., et al. 2017. The Essential Role of Tick Salivary Glands and Saliva in Tick Feeding and Pathogen Transmission. Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology. 7:281.
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Content Warning: talk of dead things (not graphic). Old World Vultures have a different set of tricks in order to survive including eating fruit, bones, and garbage. We talk Bearded Vultures, Eurasian Griffons, and more in this part two of our vulture special.
http://savebellbowlprairie.org - save this Illinois prairie by Nov. 1st! Included is more information on the prairie itself as well as easy actions to take in the next two weeks. Please share to bring awareness before it's too late!
Thanks for listening! Liked this episode? Why not share with a friend?
Primary Sources: Be sure to check out photos and more at our site!
- Eurasian Griffons at a feeding station (video).
- Barcell, M., Benítez, J. R., Solera, F., Román, B., & Donázar, J. A. (2015). Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus) Uses Stone-Throwing to Break into a Griffon Vulture (Gyps fulvus) Egg. Journal of Raptor Research, 49(4), 521–522. https://doi.org/10.3356/rapt-49-04-521-522.1
- Margalida, A., Schulze-Hagen, K., Wetterauer, B., Domhan, C., Oliva-Vidal, P., & Wink, M. (2020). What do minerals in the feces of Bearded Vultures reveal about their dietary habits? Science of The Total Environment, 138836. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.138836
- Negro, J. J., Grande, J. M., Tella, J. L., Garrido, J., Hornero, D., Donázar, J. A., … Barcell, M. (2002). An unusual source of essential carotenoids. Nature, 416(6883), 807–808. https://doi.org/10.1038/416807a
- Winkler, D. W., S. M. Billerman, and I.J. Lovette (2020). Hawks, Eagles, and Kites (Accipitridae), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (S. M. Billerman, B. K. Keeney, P. G. Rodewald, and T. S. Schulenberg, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.accipi1.01 (edited)
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Content Warning: talk of corpses and the eating of them. Vultures are nasty birds which cleanse the landscape of death and disease. In this part of our first ever two part episode we learn about the New World vultures from North and South America and how they fit into their landscapes and interact with each other. Next time: Old World vultures!
Thanks for listening to our weekly exploration of why grasslands are the best biome. We'll see you next week for part two!
Primary Sources: Be sure to check out photos and more at our site!
- Zepeda Mendoza, M. L., Roggenbuck, M., Manzano Vargas, K., Hansen, L. H., Brunak, S., Gilbert, M. T. P., & Sicheritz-Pontén, T. (2018). Protective role of the vulture facial skin and gut microbiomes aid adaptation to scavenging. Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica, 60(1). doi:10.1186/s13028-018-0415-3
- Winkler, D. W., S. M. Billerman, and I.J. Lovette (2020). New World Vultures (Cathartidae), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (S. M. Billerman, B. K. Keeney, P. G. Rodewald, and T. S. Schulenberg, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA.
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If you ever find yourself staring at a tangle of orange spaghetti in a grassland, it's probably a dodder plant. These talented, strange parasites have no leaves or roots, but plenty of other tricks to make sure that they succeed. Learn about plant communication systems, haustoria, plus a bonus fun tale of a maiden in a prairie looking for love.
Thanks for listening to our weekly exploration of why grasslands are the best biome. We'll see you in two weeks!
Primary Sources: Be sure to check out photos and more at our site!
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- How to Manage Pests: Dodder. University of California Agriculture & Natural Resources.
- Penn State. 2018. Agricultural parasite takes control of host plant's genes. Science X Network.
- Shen, G., Liu, N., et at. 2020. _Cuscuta australis_ (dodder) parasite eavesdrops on the host plants’ FT signals to flower. PNAS 117(3).
- Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology. 2017. Dodder: A parasite involved in the plant alarm system. Science Daily.
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A raptor like no other crosses 20,000km across hemispheres every year, chasing summer and bugs and grasslands through the Americas. The Swainson's Hawk is a spectacle, and we're grateful to have them fighting on our side in the looming grasshopper apocalypse.
Thanks for listening to our weekly exploration of why grasslands are the best biome. We'll see you next time!
Primary Sources:
- Bechard, M. J., C. S. Houston, J. H. Sarasola, and A. S. England (2020). Swainson's Hawk (Buteo swainsoni), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (A. F. Poole, Editor). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.swahaw.01
- Bird Names for Birds; William Swainson
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How can grasshoppers save the world? By doing what they do best: eating. But too many grasshoppers might end us all so keep that in mind the next time you turn your nose up at entomophagy.
Thanks for listening to our weekly exploration of why grasslands are the best biome. We'll see you next time!
Primary Sources: Be sure to check out photos and more at our site!
- Carolina Grasshopper poem. A Michigan Menagerie in Poems. YouTube.
- Zhong, Z. 2014. Positive interactions between large herbivores and grasshoppers, and their consequences for grassland plant diversity. Ecology.
- Chuck Lyons. 1874: The Year of the Locust. HistoryNet.
- Huis, A., Itterbeeck, J., et al. 2013. Edible insects: Future prospects for food and feed security. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. PDF.
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Rachel takes us on a journey into one of North America's savannas dominated by oak trees. They provide shelter and food for a variety of different animals and (surprise) are critically endangered. One of the biggest causes of decline is a change in land management when European settlers pushed out indigenous land caretakers. This episode is a little long but worth the ride.
Primary Sources: Be sure to check out photos and more at our site!
- Gucker, Corey L. 2011. Quercus macrocarpa. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). [2021, August 2].
- Savanna Oak Foundation, http://www.oaksavannas.org/
- Nuzzo, V.A. 1986. Extent and status of Midwest oak savanna: presettlement and 1985. Natural Areas Journal 6: 6-36.
- McPherson, Guy R. 1997. Ecology and Management of North American Savannas. University of Arizona Press, Tucson.(edited)
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Episode Notes Coyotes are fantastic survivors that no matter how much people hate them (and boy do they hate them) they keep thriving. They are the ultimate flexitarian, can control their litter sizes, and just can't be stopped on their conquest to take over the world. We also dive into the problem of human-coyote conflict and how best to etch out a living alongside these awesome creatures.
Thanks for listening to our exploration of why grasslands are the best biome. We'll see you next time!
Primary Sources: Be sure to check out photos and more at our site!
- Urban Coyote Research Project Website. Cook County Urban Coyote Research Project.
- Project Coyote Website. Earth Island Institute.
- Worrall, S. 2016. "How the Most Hated Animal in America Outwitted Us All". National Geographic.
- Hennessy, C. 2007. "Mating Strategies and Pack Structure of Coyotes in an Urban Landscape: A Genetic Investigation". The Ohio State University.
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The concept behind Pleistocene Park is deceptively simple: rewild the Pleistocene Siberian arctic, slow the effects of climate change in the arctic. All it takes to revive the 10,000-year-old Mammoth Steppe, restore permafrost, and seriously reduce carbon and methane emissions--according to scientists--is releasing long-gone megafauna and watching the ecosystem shift under their influence.
The park is an incredible experiment, but more incredible is the paleoscience, climate science, grassland ecosystem development, and the incredible work of Sergey and Nikita Zimov to show that the science can work in practice.
Primary Sources: Be sure to check out photos and more at our site!
- Nikita Zimov: Pleistocene Park & Rewilding Siberia to Save the Climate. Webinar hosted by Sustainable Design Masterclass.
- Beer, C., Zimov, N., Olofsson, J. et al. Protection of Permafrost Soils from Thawing by Increasing Herbivore Density. Sci Rep 10, 4170 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-60938-y
- Zimov, S. A., Zimov, N. S., Tikhonov, A. N., & Chapin, F. S. (2012). Mammoth steppe: a high-productivity phenomenon. Quaternary Science Reviews, 57, 26–45. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2012.10.005
- Zimov, N. Pleistocene Park. https://pleistocenepark.ru/
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Episode Notes Madagascar... land of the forest and lemurs and definitely not mostly grassland, right? Wrong. Welcome to another case of grassland erasure as we try to set the record straight on the wonderful, beautiful grasslands that blanket this tropical island. We even highlight a very special tree!
Thanks for listening to our weekly exploration of why grasslands are the best biome. We'll see you in two weeks!
Primary Sources: Be sure to check out photos and more at our site!
- Vorontsova, M. S., Besnard, G., Forest, F., et al. 2016. Madagascar’s grasses and grasslands: anthropogenic or natural?. Proceedings of the Royal Society B. 283: 20152262.
- Solofondranohatra, C., et al. 2020. Fire and grazing determined grasslands of central Madagascar represent ancient assemblages. Proc. R. Soc. B.28720200598.
- Gade, D. 1996. Deforestation and its effects in highland Madagascar. Mountain Research and Development, Vol. 16, No. 2.
- Petruzzello, M. Baobab. Encyclopedia Britannica.
- Venter, S. The Little Big Baobab Book. Baobab Foundation.
Contact Website Facebook Twitter info@grasslandgroupies.org
Episode Notes We're going back to the Eurasian Steppe this week to take a look at the Mongolian toad. How do these toads survive where no other amphibian dares to travel? What the heck is a drink patch? The answer is more complex than you might think.
Thanks for listening to our weekly exploration of why grasslands are the best biome. We'll see you in two weeks!
Primary Sources: Be sure to check out photos and more at our site!
- Litvinchuk SN, Schepina NA, Borzée A. 2020. Reconstruction of past distribution for the Mongolian toad, Strauchbufo raddei (Anura: Bufonidae) using environmental modeling. PeerJ 8:e9216 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.9216
- AmphibiaWeb 2017 Strauchbufo raddei: Mongolian Toad. University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. Accessed Apr 23, 2021.
- Berman, D. I., Bulakhova, N. A., Meshcheryakova, E. N., & Shekhovtsov, S. V. (2020). Overwintering and cold tolerance in the moor frog (Rana arvalis, Anura) across its range. Canadian Journal of Zoology. doi:10.1139/cjz-2019-0179
- Kuzʹmin, S. L., Dunaev, E. A., Mȯnkhbai︠a︡r Kh, Mȯnkhbaatar, M., Oi︠u︡unchimėg Zh, & Tėrbish, K. (2017). Zemnovodnye Mongolii = Mongol orny khoër nutagtan = The amphibians of Mongolia. Tovarishchestvo nauchnykh izdaniĭ KMK.
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Episode Notes Saiga antelope: strange Muppet or amazing survivor? These animals have some amazing adaptations to help them survive the nearly insurmountable odds stacked against them. Also, sandalwood is evil apparently? Who knew.
Thanks for listening to our weekly exploration of why grasslands are the best biome. We'll see you next time!
Primary Sources: Be sure to check out photos and more at our site!
- Planet Earth II: why more than 200,000 saiga antelopes died in just days. Milner-Gulland, E., Morgan, E., and Kock, R. 2016. The Conversation.
- Saiga. Fitz, B., and Fitz, R. 1999. Documentary. CONTENT WARNING: footage of live animals butchered and horns taken.
- Big Island, Small Planet: Challenges and Failures in Conserving Hawaiian Sandalwood Trees. Leopold, S. 2015. PDF.
- Steppe change – Kazakhstan saiga population has more than doubled in last two years. Knight, T. 2019. Fauna & Flora International.
- Floppy-nosed antelope has baby boom, raising hope for critically endangered species. Bittel, J. 2020. National Geographic.
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Episode Notes THE characteristic toucan species, Toco Toucan, tucanuçu, is the only toucan that doesn't live exclusively in forests. Like many hornbills in the Old World, these birds thrive in South America's savannas, where they're intricately connected to their ecosystems. Let's put them back in their place and do an explore.
Thanks for listening to our weekly exploration of why grasslands are the best biome. We'll see you next week!
Primary Sources:
- Pizo, M. A., Donatti, C. I., Guedes, N. M. R., & Galetti, M. (2008). Conservation puzzle: Endangered hyacinth macaw depends on its nest predator for reproduction. Biological Conservation, 141(3), 792–796. doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2007.12.023
- WikiAves: A Enciclopedia das Aves do Brasil
- Animal Diversity Web: _Ramphastos toco_
- Trupkiewicz, J., Garner, M. M., & Juan-Sallés, C. (2018). Passeriformes, Caprimulgiformes, Coraciiformes, Piciformes, Bucerotiformes, and Apodiformes. Pathology of Wildlife and Zoo Animals, 799–823. doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-805306-5.00033-x
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Nuance below: We have some feelings on the North American Model and the way it's implemented and discussed in the wildlife field. It usually disparages other models of wildlife conservation, silences non-consumptive users, and erases the indigenous "north American models" developed and implemented long before colonization.
We'd love to hear other voices on this issue, so reach out if you'd like to bring your perspective to a future conversation!
Recommended reading:
- Study: Non-hunters contribute most to wildlife
- An Indigenous Critique of the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation; https://doi.org/10.3167/ares.2018.090106
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: North American Model of Wildlife Conservation.
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Episode Notes Apparently Biosphere Reserves are everywhere? Nicole's deep dive into UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme takes several twists and turns, linking natural and social sciences, the program's protected grasslands, the difficulties of international cooperation, and other land conservation efforts here in the United States. Happy Earth Day or something?
Thanks for listening to our weekly exploration of why grasslands are the best biome. We'll see you next week!
Primary Sources: Be sure to check out photos and more at our site!
- UNESCO. (2021, March 24). Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme. https://en.unesco.org/mab
- American Prairie Reserve
- Kerr, A. (2017, November 21). The Trump Administration Takes Out 17 International Biosphere Reserves. http://www.andykerr.net/kerr-public-lands-blog/2017/6/23/the-trump-administration-takes-out-17-international-biosphere-reserves
- Hegyi, N. (2019, December 8). Big Money Is Building A New Kind Of National Park In The Great Plains. https://www.npr.org/2019/12/08/780911812/big-money-is-building-a-new-kind-of-national-park-in-the-great-plains
Contact Website Facebook Twitter info@grasslandgroupies.org
Episode Notes In Assam, India, the grasslands along the river Brahmaputra totally contain tigers, but Rachel is bound and determined to talk about something hiding in the shadows of those tigers: riverine and river-island grasslands and their flagship species the Bengal Florican.
Thanks for listening to our weekly exploration of why grasslands are the best biome. We'll see you next week!
Primary Sources: Be sure to check out photos and more at our site!
- Batbayar, N., Bhardwaj, G. S., et al (2017). Averting the extinction of bustards in Asia. Forktail, 33, 1-26.
- Grassland burning, clearing imperils birds of Brahmaputra's river islands. (2021, February 22). Mongabay India. Retrieved April 15, 2021, from https://india.mongabay.com/2021/02/grassland-burning-clearing-imperils-birds-of-brahmaputras-river-islands/
- Girish Jathar's body of work.
- Lahiri, S., Pathaw, N. A., & Krishnan, A. (2020). Convergent acoustic community structure in South Asian dry and wet grassland birds. BioRxiv (preprint). doi:10.1101/2020.08.07.241612
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Episode Notes What has four legs and walks on its middle finger and features heavily in all your favorite childhood video games?? Horses are actually kinda neat, it turns out, especially the modern conservation work of the last remaining wild horse, Przewalkski's Horse, the Takhi. Nicole embraces her childhood horsegirl vibes and kinda sorta teaches Rachel to appreciate horses because they're like camels. This description brought to you by Rachel.
Thanks for listening to our weekly exploration of why grasslands are the best biome. We'll see you next week!
Primary Sources: Be sure to check out photos and more at our site!
- Origin of horse domestication. Britannica Encyclopedia.
- Biosphere reserves. (2020, October 30).
- Kaczensky, P., Burnik Šturm, M., Sablin, M. V., Voigt, C. C., Smith, S., Ganbaatar, O., et al. (2017). Stable isotopes Reveal diet shift FROM PRE-EXTINCTION TO Reintroduced Przewalski’s horses Scientific Reports, 7(1). doi:10.1038/s41598-017-05329-6
- Ransom, J. I., Kaczensky, P., Lubow, B. C., Ganbaatar, O., & Altansukh, N. (2012). A collaborative approach for estimating terrestrial wildlife abundance. Biological Conservation, 153, 219-226. doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2012.05.006
- William Taylor Assistant Professor and Curator of Archaeology. (2020, March 02). Humans domesticated horses – new tech could help archaeologists figure out where and when
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Episode Notes In an April 1 break from the normal format, Nicole and Rachel try to stump each other with a game of Two Truths, One Lie. Buckle up for carnivorous prairie plants, Saiga death by banging, and so, so many bugs.
Thanks for listening to our weekly exploration of why grasslands are the best biome. We'll see you next week!
Primary Sources, pics, and more are on our site, to keep these notes spoiler-free. ;)
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Episode Notes Some of the smallest, most unassuming birds among us have the most amazing stories to tell. The Grasshopper Sparrow is a tiny little bird with a big personality. Learn about captive breeding of the Florida Grasshopper Sparrow and other ways we are helping this prairie icon avoid the brink of extinction.
Thanks for listening to our weekly exploration of why grasslands are the best biome. We'll see you next week!
Links we promised:
- https://www.3billionbirds.org/
- America's dwindling grasslands require action: https://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/politics/528890-americas-dwindling-grasslands-require-action?rl=1
- GRSP Songs from: Stokes Audio Field Guide
Primary Sources: Be sure to check out photos and more at our site!
- Grasshopper Sparrow life history, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology. https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Grasshopper_Sparrow/lifehistory
- A Sparrow Back from the Brink with Andrew Walker, February 18, 2021, American Birding Podcast by the American Birding Association. https://www.aba.org/a-sparrow-back-from-the-brink-with-andrew-walker/
- Grasshopper Sparrow, Species Conservation Profiles, Partners in Flight. https://partnersinflight.org/species/grasshopper-sparrow/
- White Oak Conservation, Florida Grasshopper Sparrow Disease Risk Analysis. Workshop Report 9, April, 2019 https://www.fws.gov/verobeach/NewsReleasesPDFs/20190409_FGSPDRA.pdf
- Song and Garden Birds of North America by Alexander Wetmore (1964) Pittman, C. (2021, February 10).
- Bringing back the Florida Grasshopper Sparrow, the 'most Endangered bird' in the U.S. Retrieved from https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/captive-breeding-save-florida-grasshopper-sparrows
Contact Website Facebook Twitter info@grasslandgroupies.org
Episode Notes What is mouse-sized, carnivorous, and gives birth to tiny fetal joeys? Lots of things probably, but this week dunnarts are the star of the show. Hailing from Australian grasslands, these fat-tailed little marsupials are losing their habitats before we've even figured out their social behaviors, but maybe their cute faces will help them sneak into charismatic species status.
Thanks for listening to our weekly exploration of why grasslands are the best biome. We'll see you next week!
Primary Sources:
- Curnow, C., Lewis, P., et al. About the Dunnart. World Wildlife Fund. Accessed 12 March 2021. https://wwf.panda.org/discover/our_focus/wildlife_practice/profiles/mammals/dunnart/
- Dunnarts. Bush Heritage Australia. Accessed 12 March 2021. https://www.bushheritage.org.au/species/dunnarts
- Walker, K. (June 2012). Husbandry Guidelines Fat-Tailed Dunnart. Western Sydney Institute of TAFE, Richmond. https://aszk.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Mammals.-Fat-tailed-Dunnart-2012KW.pdf
- Jackson, S. (2003). Australian Mammals: Biology and Captive Management. CSIRO Publishing. ISBN 0643066357.
- Geggel, L. Why Are There So Many Marsupials in Australia? LiveScience, 3 Mar. 2019. https://www.livescience.com/64897-why-marsupials-in-australia.html
Contact Website Facebook Twitter info@grasslandgroupies.org
Episode Notes Rachel coincidentally ruins another desert creature and exposes why the vast majority of camels are actually grassland animals. This episode detours into evolution and the veterinary science realm to answer why prairies are probably the cause of the mass extinction of this North American (yeah) animal. Also: camels are weird. And they're not ruminants.
Thanks for listening to our weekly exploration of why grasslands are the best biome. We'll see you next week!
PS check out this cool paleoart of new world camels.
Primary Sources: Be sure to check out photos and more at our site!
- Fowler, M. E. (2008). Camelids are not ruminants. Zoo and Wild Animal Medicine, 375-385. doi:10.1016/b978-141604047-7.50049-x
- PBS Eons: When Camels Roamed North America. PBS Digital Studios
- Friis-Baastad, E. (2017, June 28). Yukon finds force scientists to rethink the Camel family tree.
- Burger, P. A., Ciani, E., & Faye, B. (2019). Old world camels in a modern world – a balancing act between conservation and genetic improvement. Animal Genetics, 50(6), 598-612. doi:10.1111/age.12858
- Cui, P., R. Ji, F. Ding, D. Qi, H. Gao, H. Meng, J. Yu, S. Hu, H. Zhang. 2007. A complete mitochondrial genome sequence of the wild two-humped camel (Camelus bactrianus ferus): an evolutionary history of camelidae. BMC Genomics, 8/241: N/A - open access journal.
Contact Website Facebook Twitter info@grasslandgroupies.org
Episode Notes Tumbleweeds, icon of the... desert? Grasslands birthed some of the world's worst tumbleweed invaders, and there's more to them than their iconic "American old west" imagery. Desert caviar, savior of the cattle industry, and colonizer extraordinaire, this broad paraphyletic group of plants have been terrorizing and blessing the world for centuries. Nicole breaks down why tumbleweeds are pretty neat.
PS keep your pet tumbleweeds on leashes.
Thanks for listening to our weekly exploration of why grasslands are the best biome. We'll see you next week!
Primary Sources: Be sure to check out photos and more at our site!
- Baker, D. V., Withrow, J. R., Brown, C. S., & Beck, K. G. (2010). Tumbling: Use of Diffuse KNAPWEED (Centaurea DIFFUSA) to examine an understudied dispersal mechanism. Invasive Plant Science and Management, 3(3), 301-309. doi:10.1614/ipsm-d-09-00016.1
- George P. Stallings, Thill, D., Carol A. Mallory-Smith, & Lawrence W. Lass. (1995). Plant Movement and Seed Dispersal of Russian Thistle (Salsola iberica). Weed Science, 43(1), 63-69.
- United States Department of Agriculture. Plant Guide For SALSOLA TRAGUS (prickly Russian Thistle). Retrieved February 24, 2021.
- Bernstein, J. (2019, October 07). Monster tumbleweed: Invasive new species is here to stay. University of California, Riverside. Retrieved February 24, 2021.
- Barroso, J., Lyon, D. J., and Prather, T. Russian Thistle Management in a Wheat-Fallow Crop Rotation. Pacific Northwest Extension Publishing.
Contact Website Facebook Twitter info@grasslandgroupies.org
Episode Notes The coastal tussac grasslands of the Falkland Islands have been a struggle for conservationists. A team of paleoecologists used this grass's unique characteristics to uncover the ecosystem's origins, track its changing climate, and reveal why seabirds make these grasslands thrive.
Primary Sources:
- Groff, D. V., Hamley, K. M., Lessard, T. J., Greenawalt, K. E., Yasuhara, M., Brickle, P., & Gill, J. L. (2020). Seabird establishment during regional cooling drove a terrestrial ecosystem SHIFT 5000 years ago. Science Advances, 6(43). doi:10.1126/sciadv.abb2788
- Palaeocast Episode 116: Ice Age Palaeoecology, with Dr. Jacquelyn Gill.
- Falklands Conservation Registered Charity
Dr. Dulcinea Groff / Twitter Dr. Jacquelyn Gill / Twitter
Our Contact Website / Facebook / Twitter info@grasslandgroupies.org
Episode Notes African megafauna are already super well-known, but when grasslands took over the forests of ancient Africa, some megafauna were driven to extinction. What other megafauna has reached the brink, never to return, and can a subspecies of Plains Zebra really be resurrected from the void of extinction?
Thanks for listening to our weekly exploration of why grasslands are the best biome. We'll see you next week!
Primary Sources: Be sure to check out photos and more at our site!
- Plio-Pleistocene decline of African megaherbivores: No evidence for ancient hominin impacts, doi:10.1126/science.aau2728
- The Quagga Project
- Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan
Contact Website / Facebook / Twitter info@grasslandgroupies.org 316-512-8933
Episode Notes What do Burrowing Owls and Blue-throated Macaws have in common? Their habitat. Rachel takes us on a tour of the parrots, cockatoos, lovebirds, and parakeets that thrive in Australia, American, and African grasslands.
Thanks for listening to our weekly ~~love letter~~ podcast exploring a straightforward thesis: grasslands are the best biome. We'll see you next week!
Primary Sources: I had a million sources from this episode because of the breadth of species covered, so for more complete information look for the parrot post on our site!
- Animal Diversity Web
- (PDF) Notes on the ecology of the yellow-faced parrot (Alipiopsitta Xanthops) in central Brazil
- We Now Know the Real Range of the Extinct Carolina Parakeet | Audubon
- Turquoise Parrot
- BirdLife Australia
- ICUN Redlist
Contact: Email: info@grasslandgroupies.org Website Facebook Twitter
Episode Notes Our first episode has Nicole talking about prairie dogs, go figure. They not only help to increase plant and animal diversity around their burrows, but are also very tasty snacks. Nicole believes that without prairie dogs, we would have no prairies.
Thanks for listening to our weekly ~~love letter~~ podcast exploring a straightforward thesis: grasslands are the best biome. We'll see you next week!
Primary Sources:
- Con Slobodchikoff, "Prairie Dogs: Prairie Dogs: Communication and Community in an Animal Society," and various publications.
- Effects of black-tailed prairie dogs on plant communities in complex urban landscapes (Beals, Stower; et al)
- Community dynamics on grazed mixed-grass prairie (Rose Lipinski)
Prairie Dogs: America's Meerkats - Language (Youtube)
Contact: Email: info@grasslandgroupies.org Website Facebook Twitter