ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – New research by the University of New Mexico shows how grasslands recover from drought. UNM researchers said grasslands play an important role in agriculture and tourism, as well as helping local wildlife and water conservation. UNM Professor of Biology Scott Collins co-authored the study, looking at grasslands across the United States and in China that receive different amounts of rainfall with two of those sites in New Mexico.
Their findings show certain species of plants, grass, seeds, and animals thrive under certain conditions. In New Mexico, Collins said the grass species that grew before the drought seemed to give up but was soon replaced with a new, more resistant species. The overall research showed that American grasslands are much more resistant to the over seven-year drought experiment compared to China’s grasslands.