Science Friday The Ruin And Redemption Of The American Prairie
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Jun 11, 2025 Environmental reporter Dave Hage, co-author of Sea of Grass, shares insights on the often overlooked American prairie. He discusses the dramatic shift from diverse grasslands to industrial farmlands, leading to significant biodiversity loss. Hage highlights the essential role of pollinators and the historical importance of bison in the ecosystem. With a nod to successful conservation efforts, he underscores the hope that sustainable farming brings for restoring the prairie’s health and combating climate change.
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The Emigrants Film Scene
- The 1971 film The Emigrants shows a Swedish family arriving in Minnesota with endless grass-filled prairies.
- The farmer happily claims fertile soil, reflecting the historic allure of the American prairie for settlers.
Prairie's Dry Climate Shapes Ecology
- Prairie's dryness shaped its ecosystem, especially west of the Rockies, where little rain reaches the land.
- Grasses thrived with deep roots and fire resilience, forming a vast sea of grass across the plains.
Tallgrass Prairie Near Extinction
- Less than 1% of tallgrass prairie remains, mostly lost to European settler farming.
- Frontier farming replaced wild grasslands with productive cropland, dramatically altering the landscape.
