Periurban croplands, situated at the interface between expanding urban areas and rural landscapes, are undergoing rapid fragmentation due to urban sprawl. This fragmentation increases the ratio of cropland edges—margins where agricultural fields meet non-cultivated or urban land. Such boundaries are hotspots of anthropogenic disturbance, altering microclimatic conditions and ecosystem dynamics. Liu et al. pinpointed these edge zones as critical nodes that amplify climatic stressors, especially during extremely dry events, making them crucial targets for intervention to safeguard productivity.

The study employs a high-resolution modeling framework combined with a robust vulnerability–resilience assessment, enabling researchers to quantify how changes in cropland edge structures modulate the response of crop yields to climate extremes. A key finding reveals a nearly one-to-one association between increases in edge ratios and heightened vulnerability: specifically, a single standard deviation increase in cropland edge ratio corresponded to a 0.981 standard deviation rise in log-transformed vulnerability to drought conditions. This quantitatively illustrates how expanding edge effects exacerbate susceptibility to dryness, thereby threatening the stability of food supplies.

Conversely, the presence and expansion of ecological buffer zones—areas of natural or semi-natural vegetation adjacent to croplands—demonstrably enhance resilience. These buffer zones act as environmental shock absorbers, mitigating microclimatic extremes and supporting beneficial ecological processes such as soil moisture retention and pollinator support. The study found that augmenting the ecological buffer zone ratio by one standard deviation led to a remarkable 3.165 standard deviation improvement in resilience, underscoring the buffer’s potent protective role against hydrological stress.

Such findings propelled the research team to explore adaptive strategies through counterfactual simulations. Two distinct pathways emerged: one focused on reducing cropland edge ratios by consolidating fragmented fields, thereby minimizing exposure to damaging edge effects; the other involved expanding ecological buffer zones to strengthen natural defenses and enhance landscape heterogeneity. These strategies were assessed under diverse future socio-economic and climate scenarios, integrating Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSP) and Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP) to model plausible trajectories to 2060.

Results from these scenario analyses highlight the efficacy of edge reduction strategies in consistently decreasing the extent of cropland edge exposure by around 36% across all SSP–RCP projections. Such a reduction would substantially limit the vulnerability kernel associated with fragmented cropland margins. In parallel, buffer zone expansion strategies projected a 12–15% increase in ecological buffer areas, offering a complementary pathway to bolster landscape-level resilience by fostering biodiversity, improving water retention, and stabilizing microclimates.

This dual-pathway adaptive framework provides a mechanistic understanding of how land management at the micro-scale can cascade into macro-scale improvements in agricultural resilience. It also aligns with global imperatives to enhance sustainability and food security under the looming threat of climate extremes. By strategically managing cropland perimeters—either by reshaping land parcels or enriching natural buffers—farmers and policymakers can unlock synergistic benefits that buffer crops against drought shocks.

Underlying these outcomes are intricate microclimatic interactions at cropland edges, where factors such as wind patterns, solar radiation flux, soil moisture gradients, and biotic interactions converge to influence crop stress responses. The intensified exposure to urban heat island effects and pollution at edges further compounds this vulnerability, making the management of periurban fields especially crucial. This nuanced ecological perspective calls for integrated land use planning that considers both spatial configuration and ecological functionality.

Moreover, the ecological buffer zones highlighted in the study are not simply physical space fillers; they function as dynamic ecological corridors that foster species movement, carbon sequestration, and nutrient cycling. Their ability to modulate hydrological cycles by intercepting runoff and enhancing infiltration underscores their multifaceted role in mediating landscape vulnerability. Such multifunctionality positions buffer zones as vital instruments for climate adaptation and biodiversity conservation simultaneously.

Importantly, the study’s reliance on a log-transformed vulnerability metric allows for more sensitive detection of nonlinear responses to drought stress, capturing subtle thresholds beyond which cropland productivity may decline precipitously. This quantitative rigor facilitates informed decision-making by revealing leverage points where incremental land management changes can yield outsized resilience dividends.

The multi-scenario approach adopted by Liu and colleagues also emphasizes the interplay between socio-economic development pathways and climate trajectories. It highlights that adaptive gains from edge management are achievable even under high-emission scenarios, suggesting that land management interventions could serve as robust components of climate resilience portfolios independent of global mitigation success.

By illuminating the critical role of micro-scale landscape configuration, this research offers a paradigm shift away from solely crop-centric adaptation strategies toward landscape-centric frameworks. This holistic vision integrates land tenure consolidation, periurban planning, and ecological conservation as interconnected levers shaping agricultural futures.

The implications extend beyond periurban zones. Rural agricultural landscapes, increasingly vulnerable to climate extremes worldwide, may equally benefit from targeted edge management and ecological buffering, tailored to local contexts. Consequently, these insights may catalyze a broader movement toward micro-scale ecological engineering as a foundation of climate-smart agriculture.

This investigation also underscores the value of high-resolution land use data and modeling tools in unraveling complex human–environment interactions at scales relevant to on-the-ground management. Such methodological advances are critical as agriculture faces converging challenges of climate disruption, urban growth, and ecosystem degradation.

Ultimately, the work by Liu et al. charts a scientifically rigorous and ecologically sound roadmap for enhancing cropland adaptability to extreme dryness—a core component of future-proofing global food systems. By harnessing the spatial configuration of croplands and embedding ecological buffers at critical edges, it is possible to attenuate climatic impacts and sustain productivity in an increasingly uncertain world.

As policymakers and farmers grapple with the challenges of a rapidly changing planet, this research provides clear, actionable pathways grounded in empirical evidence and advanced modeling. It invites a reconceptualization of agricultural land management, recognizing that resilience is as much about spatial dynamics and ecological integration as it is about crop genetics or irrigation technology.

In conclusion, the synergistic potential of reducing cropland edge ratios while expanding ecological buffer zones offers a compelling adaptive strategy. It not only mitigates direct climatic stress but also enhances the broader agroecosystem services essential for sustainable productivity. The insights from Liu and colleagues’ work thus represent a pivotal step forward in landscape-based adaptation science, informing future interventions that reconcile urban expansion with agricultural resilience.

Subject of Research: The influence of micro-scale cropland edge interactions and ecological buffers on the adaptability of cropland productivity to extreme dry events, within the context of rapid urbanization and climate change.

Article Title: Cropland edge management enhances the adaptability of cropland productivity to extremely dry events.

Article References:
Liu, W., Duan, J., Min, X. et al. Cropland edge management enhances the adaptability of cropland productivity to extremely dry events. Nat Food (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s43016-026-01366-5

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s43016-026-01366-5

The researchers employed lysimeter experiments under realistic environmental conditions to rigorously assess how individual and combined organic amendments influence the water balance of sandy soils. By continuously monitoring soil moisture dynamics, drainage rates, and evaporation losses, the team provided detailed insights into how these amendments modify subsurface hydrology. The triple combination of biochar, compost, and sludge yielded the most pronounced reduction in soil drainage, decreasing cumulative water loss by over 40% relative to plots receiving single amendments. This critical finding suggests that more water remains accessible within the root zone for extended periods, directly impacting plant-available moisture and potentially enhancing drought tolerance.

Fundamental to the observed improvements is the unique physicochemical nature of biochar—a carbon-rich byproduct of biomass pyrolysis conducted under oxygen-limited conditions. Biochar’s porous morphology and high surface area facilitate enhanced soil aeration and increased water retention capacity. When integrated with compost and sludge—sources rich in organic matter and fine particulates—the amendments collectively restructure the soil matrix. This restructuring generates a more balanced pore size distribution, stabilizing soil aggregates and reducing preferential flow paths that typically expedite water loss in sandy substrates. The result is an optimized soil pore network that retains moisture efficiently while allowing adequate gas exchange essential for root respiration.

The study’s extended duration captured fluctuations in climatic factors such as precipitation and temperature, which fluctuate seasonally and influence soil water dynamics. Unlike controlled laboratory experiments, this real-world setting provided robust validation that the organic amendment strategy maintains higher average soil moisture contents through varying environmental stresses. Treatments combining biochar, compost, and sludge exhibited the greatest stability in water storage, underscoring their potential to mitigate the adverse effects of intermittent dry spells that commonly afflict sandy soils. This temporal analysis highlights the amendments’ capacity to buffer soils against natural variability, a feature critical for sustainable agriculture.

Beyond water retention, the amendments also altered soil surface evaporation and drainage patterns. Soils treated with biochar showed reduced drainage volumes but increased evaporation rates compared to unamended controls, suggesting that biochar influences the partitioning of water within soil layers. Statistical evaluations confirmed the significance of these changes, reinforcing the concept that biochar-based amendments substantially modify hydraulic properties. This modulation of evaporation and drainage is vital for maintaining soil moisture within the root zone and minimizing water wastage, key objectives in enhancing water use efficiency in agriculture.

Importantly, the study emphasizes the superiority of integrating multiple organic amendments rather than relying on a single input. The complementary properties of biochar, compost, and sludge create synergistic effects that surpass the benefits achieved independently. Compost contributes nutrients and microbial populations essential for soil fertility, while sludge offers fine particles that enhance soil texture and nutrient content. Biochar’s stability and carbon sequestration capabilities add long-term value by improving physical and chemical soil attributes. Together, these amendments establish a resilient soil ecosystem conducive to plant growth and sustainable land management.

From an agronomic perspective, adopting this integrated amendment approach can transform marginal sandy soils, often overlooked due to their low fertility and poor water retention, into productive landscapes. By increasing soil water availability and enhancing soil structure, farmers can reduce irrigation requirements, optimize nutrient management, and improve crop yields. This strategy holds particular promise for regions experiencing intensified drought conditions due to climate change, where securing water resources is paramount. Enhanced soil moisture buffering capacity can improve plant resilience and reduce crop failure risks associated with water scarcity.

Moreover, the implications of these findings extend beyond agriculture into broader environmental and climate adaptation realms. Improved soil water retention reduces irrigation dependency, thereby conserving groundwater and surface water resources. Additionally, biochar’s inherent carbon-rich nature contributes to carbon sequestration, aiding climate mitigation efforts. Stable soil ecosystems supported by organic amendments promote biodiversity and reduce erosion, thus sustaining ecosystem services. Collectively, these benefits underscore the multidimensional value of integrating biochar, compost, and sludge in sustainable land use.

Technically, the research employed advanced monitoring tools including soil moisture sensors and lysimeter setups that provided continuous data on water fluxes. This rigorous experimental design enabled the quantification of the amendments’ effects on soil hydraulic conductivity, field capacity, and water retention curves. These metrics are critical in understanding and modeling soil-water-plant interactions and provide a technical foundation for designing effective soil management practices tailored to sandy soils. Such precision in data acquisition and analysis elevates the reliability and applicability of the study’s conclusions.

In summary, this comprehensive research articulates a scientifically grounded, practically viable method for enhancing the water retention capacity of sandy soils through the combined use of biochar, compost, and sludge. The demonstrated improvements in soil moisture stability, reduced drainage, and modified evaporation patterns lay a strong foundation for developing sustainable agriculture practices adapted to water-limited environments. This integrative amendment approach not only supports crop growth but also offers environmental co-benefits including carbon sequestration, nutrient recycling, and ecosystem resilience, marking a substantial advance in soil management science.

The study’s findings encourage policymakers and agricultural stakeholders to consider integrated organic amendments as a key component of water-smart farming. Tailoring amendment compositions and application rates to specific local soil and climatic conditions can optimize outcomes, making this strategy versatile and scalable. As global water scarcity challenges mount, innovative soil management approaches such as this become essential in securing food production and preserving natural resources. This research sets a precedent for future work exploring multi-amendment effects and their potential to underpin resilient agroecosystems worldwide.

As climate change accelerates, the resilience of vulnerable soils such as sandy substrates will play a crucial role in global food security. This study offers compelling evidence that integrating biochar, compost, and sludge into soil management practices constitutes a promising pathway toward sustainable, drought-resilient agriculture. Continued research and field validation will further refine these techniques, facilitating widespread adoption and yielding substantial environmental and economic benefits for communities dependent on marginal lands.

Subject of Research: Not applicable

Article Title: Impact of biochar, compost, and sludge amendments on the soil water balance of a sandy soil

News Publication Date: 19-Jan-2026

References: Tenodi, S., Maletić, S., Kragulj Isakovski, M. et al. Impact of biochar, compost, and sludge amendments on the soil water balance of a sandy soil. Biochar 8, 14 (2026). DOI: 10.1007/s42773-025-00509-4

Image Credits: Slaven Tenodi, Snežana Maletić, Marijana Kragulj Isakovski, Jens Kruse & Lutz Weihermüller

Keywords: Civil engineering, Soil chemistry, Soil science, Environmental sciences

Groundwater forms the backbone of irrigation in the Po Plain, supporting a dense network of farms growing staples such as wheat, rice, and maize, which are critical not only for European food security but for global markets as well. Over the past two decades, however, the delicate balance between groundwater use and replenishment has been severely tested. By integrating satellite gravity data from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) missions with direct measurements from over a thousand groundwater wells, the research team has painted a detailed picture of groundwater dynamics from 2002 through 2022. Their findings indicate that groundwater storage decline accelerated dramatically after 2015, with loss rates more than doubling compared to the earlier years of observation.

The study sheds light on the seasonal and long-term fluctuations in groundwater availability, highlighting a previously underappreciated role of irrigation in buffering against drought-induced water deficits. Paradoxically, areas subjected to intensive irrigation exhibit a stronger correlation between groundwater levels and alpine snow accumulation, suggesting that meltwater from the Alps indirectly replenishes aquifers beneath farmlands. The process, long overlooked in groundwater resource management, implies that irrigation itself—assuming certain inefficiencies—can contribute substantially to underground aquifer recharge by enhancing infiltration from surface waters supplemented by snowmelt. This insight fundamentally challenges the common assumption that irrigation solely depletes groundwater reserves.

In contrast, the study reveals that non-irrigated areas within the Po Plain experience more volatile groundwater storage patterns, particularly suffering steep declines during periods of drought. These regions lack the buffering capacity provided by irrigation-linked recharge, making their underground water tables highly susceptible to climatic variability. This differentiation between irrigated and non-irrigated zones reveals stark spatial heterogeneity in aquifer resilience, emphasizing the need for localized water management strategies that account for irrigation’s dual role as both a water consumer and an aquifer replenisher.

Underlying these findings is a meticulous analysis of gravity anomaly data obtained by the GRACE satellites, which measure minute variations in Earth’s gravitational field caused by changes in mass distribution—including water mass. By correlating these satellite measurements with extensive well data, the researchers achieved unprecedented spatial and temporal resolution in assessing groundwater storage fluctuations. This approach allows for a more robust understanding of long-term trends than well measurements alone, which can be spatially sparse and subject to localized uncertainties.

The acceleration of groundwater decline post-2015 dovetails with broader climatic trends observed across southern Europe, where rising temperatures and erratic precipitation patterns have contributed to intensified drought conditions. The Po Plain, being downstream of the Alps, depends heavily on snowpack accumulation in the mountain range to sustain hydrological inputs during dry seasons. The study’s demonstration of a positive linkage between snowfall in the Alps and groundwater levels in irrigated farmlands underscores the interconnectedness of mountain and plain ecosystems. This connection could have profound implications for anticipating water availability under future climate scenarios where alpine snowpack is projected to diminish.

The revelation that inefficient irrigation, often criticized for wastefulness, may inadvertently serve as a groundwater recharge mechanism introduces a nuanced perspective to irrigation management. Traditional policies have focused primarily on improving irrigation efficiency to conserve water, potentially overlooking the benefits of controlled inefficiencies that promote recharge. The study suggests that careful calibration of irrigation practices could harness this effect to enhance aquifer sustainability without compromising crop yields. Such adaptive strategies would require an integrated approach combining agronomic optimization with hydrological modeling.

Moreover, this research highlights the importance of multidisciplinary data integration for water resource management. The cross-validation of satellite remote sensing data with in-situ well measurements provides a powerful tool for monitoring groundwater changes in near real-time, offering a valuable decision-support framework for regional water authorities. Given the increasing frequency and severity of drought events, such advanced monitoring capabilities are critical to responsive management actions aimed at mitigating water scarcity.

While the findings denote a hopeful potential for irrigation systems to offset some pressures on groundwater, the authors caution against complacency. The overall declining trend in groundwater storage remains a pressing concern, especially under scenarios of prolonged drought and increased water demand from agriculture and other sectors. Sustaining the Po Plain’s agricultural productivity will necessitate comprehensive adaptation measures that combine improved irrigation technologies, enhanced recharge strategies, and conservation policies aligned with climatic challenges.

Notably, the study also calls for expanded research into the specific mechanisms by which irrigation-induced recharge occurs, including soil infiltration rates, surface runoff dynamics, and the temporal synchronization of meltwater supply with irrigation schedules. Understanding these processes in greater detail will enable the design of more targeted interventions to optimize the dual role of irrigation as both a water consumer and replenisher.

The implications extend beyond the Po Plain, offering valuable insights for other major agricultural breadbaskets worldwide facing similar pressures on groundwater systems. Regions in arid and semi-arid climates where irrigation dominates farming may benefit from reexamining their water management paradigms in light of this study’s findings. The concept that irrigation inefficiency, when properly managed, can contribute positively to aquifer recharge could inspire innovative approaches to sustainable agriculture globally.

Furthermore, these results underline the interconnectedness of climatic, hydrological, and human systems, underscoring that agricultural water use cannot be sustainably managed without considering broader environmental feedbacks. The coupling of alpine snow dynamics and lowland groundwater reserves exemplifies the complex chains of dependence that climate change can disrupt, highlighting the urgency of integrated resource management strategies.

The study, published in Nature Water in 2025, marks a significant advancement in our understanding of groundwater sustainability in Europe’s key agricultural zones. Through the lens of cutting-edge satellite technology and extensive field measurements, it provides a compelling narrative about resilience, adaptation, and the intricate interplay between human activity and natural water cycles. Policymakers, farmers, and water managers alike stand to benefit from these insights as they navigate the challenges posed by a warming and increasingly variable climate.

Looking ahead, the authors emphasize that harnessing the buffering effects of irrigation on groundwater reserves will require not only technical innovation but also institutional support and stakeholder engagement. Incentivizing water users to adopt practices that balance crop production needs with aquifer recharge potentials could foster a more sustainable equilibrium in resource use. Moreover, the integration of these findings into regional water policy could strengthen Europe’s preparedness for future hydrological shocks.

In conclusion, this landmark research uncovers a critical paradox in irrigation practices—where inefficiency often seen as detrimental actually creates a lifeline for groundwater sustainability in one of Europe’s most important agricultural landscapes. It challenges prevailing narratives and opens new avenues for climate-adaptive water management that align agricultural productivity with environmental stewardship. The Po Plain’s story is a testament to the complexity and potential of human-nature interactions and serves as a beacon for future research and policy formulation in water resource management worldwide.

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Subject of Research: Groundwater storage dynamics and irrigation impacts in the Po Plain, northern Italy, analyzed through satellite gravimetry and well data from 2002 to 2022.

Article Title: Intensive irrigation buffers groundwater declines in key European breadbasket.

Article References:
Carlson, G., Massari, C., Rotiroti, M. et al. Intensive irrigation buffers groundwater declines in key European breadbasket.
Nat Water (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s44221-025-00445-4

Image Credits: AI Generated

Grasslands, covering vast terrestrial regions and hosting diverse plant communities, are crucial for global livestock sustainability and ecological balance. However, these ecosystems face mounting pressures due to anthropogenic alterations in nutrient and water cycles. Historically, droughts have been known to reduce plant productivity drastically, leading to ecosystem degradation. By deploying field experiments at multiple spatial scales, the research team sought to reveal how simultaneous changes in nutrient availability and drought intensity influence biomass production—a key indicator of ecosystem health.

Professor Amber Churchill, assistant professor of ecosystem science at Binghamton University and a co-author of the study, emphasizes the novelty of combining drought and nutrient treatments across multiple global sites. “Traditional experimental designs often isolate either drought or nutrient effects, but by integrating these variables across diverse grassland environments, we are beginning to unravel complex interactions that govern ecosystem responses to global change,” she explains. This large-scale synthesis enables a comprehensive understanding beyond localized studies, offering predictive power pertinent to future climate scenarios.

Their methodological framework involved systematic nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium supplementation alongside controlled drought imposition. Remarkably, drought alone induced an average 19% decline in plant biomass, a predictable outcome given water stress’s pivotal role in limiting photosynthesis and growth. However, fertilizer addition alone spurred a robust 24% increase in biomass, highlighting the growth-limiting effect that nutrient scarcity imposes under normal conditions. When combined, these factors surprisingly neutralized each other, yielding no net change in overall plant productivity. This outcome illustrates a compensatory relationship where nutrient enrichment can partially offset water deficits.

Crucially, the study revealed that grasses—the dominant functional group in many grasslands—exhibited pronounced responsiveness to nutrient additions even amid drought stress. This contradicts traditional ecological dogma suggesting that under water limitation, plants would be less capable of utilizing supplementary nutrients. Instead, the data indicate plasticity in plant nutrient uptake mechanisms and resource allocation, allowing certain species to capitalize on nutrient pulses even when challenged by aridity. Such adaptive capacity bears significant consequences for managing grasslands under climate volatility.

The research also underscores that arid and semi-arid ecosystems, which are typically nutrient-poor and water-limited, stand to benefit markedly from strategic nutrient additions, potentially enhancing resilience against episodic drought. Yet, Churchill cautions against oversimplifying fertilizer as a panacea. “While nutrient additions can temporarily alleviate drought effects on biomass, the economic costs and ecological ramifications—such as altered species composition, soil health degradation, and greenhouse gas emissions—underscore that fertilization is not a sustainable long-term strategy,” she notes. Instead, integrated management approaches prioritizing biodiversity and ecosystem functioning remain paramount.

Fieldwork at selected experiment sites, such as the Cedar Creek Long Term Ecological Research Site in Minnesota and the Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment in Australia, was central to generating high-quality, comparable data. Churchill’s hands-on involvement in data curation and analysis at these sites exemplifies the collaborative, cross-continental effort behind this project. Such networked endeavors are vital for capturing the spatial heterogeneity of grassland ecosystems and ensuring that conclusions have global relevance.

Beyond immediate biomass responses, the study sparks critical questions about plant community dynamics and long-term stability. Churchill highlights that species richness might act as a buffer against drought-induced productivity declines through a phenomenon known as functional redundancy—where the likelihood of some species persisting ensures continued biomass production even as individual species fail. Although the current dataset only spans one growing season, longer-term experiments could test these hypotheses rigorously, advancing our understanding of ecosystem resilience under compounded stressors.

The integration of nutrient and drought manipulations across diverse climatic regions represents a paradigm shift in ecological experimentation. It facilitates not only a more realistic simulation of global change scenarios but also informs adaptive land-use practices. For instance, optimizing nutrient management in grazing systems could maintain pasture productivity during droughts, supporting food security without exacerbating environmental degradation. Nevertheless, the research advocates for caution and balanced interventions, recognizing the complex trade-offs inherent in ecosystem management.

Ultimately, this study illuminates the multifaceted nature of ecosystem responses to intersecting abiotic stressors. By revealing how nutrient availability modulates drought impacts on grassland biomass, it opens pathways for more nuanced predictions of vegetation dynamics under climate change. Agricultural stakeholders, conservationists, and policymakers alike can draw on these findings to devise smarter, evidence-based strategies that sustain ecosystem services in an uncertain future.

As the frequency and intensity of drought events escalate globally, understanding the biogeochemical feedbacks within terrestrial ecosystems becomes increasingly urgent. This research contributes a critical piece of that puzzle, demonstrating that while fertilization can play a role in mitigating drought stress in the short term, holistic, ecosystem-centered approaches are essential for achieving long-term resilience and sustainability.

Further explorations, including the ongoing Pasture and Lawn Enhanced Diversity Global-change Experiment (PLEDGE) at Binghamton University’s Nuthatch Hollow site, will continue to unravel these complexities by testing similar nutrient and drought treatments under controlled yet ecological realistic settings. these future studies promise to extend temporal and spatial insights, bridging experimental rigor with applied ecological knowledge.

In sum, the collaborative, large-scale experimental design and the rich dataset produced by this international effort mark a significant advancement in our comprehension of grassland ecosystem function under duress. It challenges existing paradigms, highlights ecological surprises, and equips the scientific community and land managers with actionable knowledge to confront the challenges posed by a rapidly changing climate.

Subject of Research: Not applicable
Article Title: Aridity modulates grassland biomass responses to combined drought and nutrient addition
News Publication Date: 19-May-2025
Web References: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41559-025-02705-8
Image Credits: Sydney Hedberg
Keywords: Grassland ecosystems, Ecology, Ecosystems, Plant sciences, Plants, Droughts, Natural disasters, Earth sciences, Crops, Plant ecology, Plant communities