Grasslands are sensitive to changes in climate
Grasslands are highly diverse communities of grasses, forbs, and woody plants. Grasslands cover about 27 percent of the lower 48 states, occurring mostly between the upper Midwest to the Rocky Mountains and from Canada to the central Gulf Coast. In addition to providing critical wildlife habitat, grasslands are major contributors to US food production and they provide many other valuable services, including aquifer recharge, habitat for pollinators, and recreational opportunities. Helping grasslands tolerate changing conditions will be vital to many wildlife and plant species, as well as the human communities that depend on these ecosystems.
Vulnerability
Grasslands are adapted to a wide range of temperatures, and they can generally tolerate low moisture conditions and disturbances such as wildfire. This could make them well-adapted to future climate projections. However, specific grassland types, species, and locations may be more vulnerable to stresses such as invasive species and extended drought. Explore these resources to learn more about climate change impacts and grasslands:
The Grasslands Synthesis Project (North Central Climate Adaptation Science Center)
Adaptation in Action
Managers will face many challenges in maintaining the integrity and functionality of grassland ecosystems in the coming decades. We developed a menu of Adaptation Strategies and Approaches to help facilitate the planning and implementation of climate adaptation actions for grassland ecosystem managers. The Grassland Menu is a structured hierarchy of management practices that move from broad concepts to specific actions and is designed to be used in tandem with the Adaptation Workbook, a structured decision-support tool for climate adaptation planning.
Download the Grassland Adaptation Menu
- Browse the interactive version of this menu at AdaptationWorkbook.org
Explore real-world adaptation demonstration projects that have used this tool in planning, such as:
For more information on this effort contact Stephen Handler.
Work with us
We provide training and technical assistance to natural resource professionals and land owners to support climate-informed land management. Examples of our work include:
- Organizing and facilitating workshops related to climate change impacts and grassland ecosystem adaptation.
- Providing resources and tools to support the adaptation of grasslands to climate change.
- Develop real-world examples of climate-informed management in grassland ecosystems.
Partners
The Grassland Adaptation Menu was the result of a collaboration with the University of Wisconsin-Madison and other partners. USDA Climate Hub funding and a U.S. Geological Survey Midwest Climate Adaptation Science Center fellowship supported the effort. Collaborators from The Nature Conservancy, USDA Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the U.S. Geological Survey helped organize workshops to test the menu, organize adaptation ideas, and prepare the final manuscript.