【EDITOR'S CHOICE】
Effect of genotypic richness, drought and mycorrhizal associations on productivity and functional traits of a dominant #C4Grass

#TallgrassPrairie | #AndropogonGerardii | #GeneticDiversity| #Mutualism

https://doi.org/10.1093/jpe/rtac045

A rare #orchid survives on a few tracts of #prairie. Researchers want to learn its secrets https://phys.org/news/2024-08-rare-orchid-survives-tracts-prairie.html

"The orchid is a unique insight into its nearly vanished ecosystem—the #TallgrassPrairie—as well as for understanding connectedness with pollinators and other plants... The orchid's only known #pollinators are #hawkmoths, big #moths that are just the right fit and size to reach the orchid's nectar, in a long spur, while also pollinating the plant."

"Feel your hands in a soft grass, waist-high and moving in a strong south wind. Smell the sweetness of that grass, and behold the biggest sky on Earth save above the open sea. If this be nothing, then for me nothing be heaven." —Sarah Smarsh for Orion Magazine

https://orionmagazine.org/article/prairie-grassland-restoration-north-america/

#Longreads #EditorsPick #TallGrassPrairie #Kansas #LandConservation #Restoration

Visiting a friend in Winnipeg. We went out to Beaudry Provincial Park, west of the city, where there is some very interesting tall grass prairie being restored. One of the flowers, new to me, was closed gentian. Magnificent.

#tallgrassprairie #Manitoba #gentian #prairieflowers #rewilding #restoration #flowerphotography #conservation

"Espigas"

#grass #tallgrass #tallgrassprairie #miniprairie #espigas #espigasdetrigo #seeds #ripe #grains #green #summer #summervibes #sunny #sunnyday #ireland #countyclare #closeup #macro #macrophotography

Ranger Sarah visits the most popular ranger at Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, "Badger"

#adventuresofrangersarah #rangersarah #tallgrassprairie #outdooradventures #nationalpark

Ranger Sarah at the Historic Spring Hill Ranch Barn, a three story barn constructed from Cottonwood Limestone.
— at Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve.

#adventuresofrangersarah #rangersarah #tallgrassprairie #history #outdooradventures #nationalpark