Our Research

The prairie ecosystem provides many ecosystem services (benefits to human beings). The long-rooting plants of the prairie clean the water, keep the soil healthy, and prevent erosion. Prairie plants can be even better than trees at taking carbon from the atmosphere and storing it away. Grasslands are a home for pollinators and a variety of wildlife, some of which can exist nowhere else on the planet. Prairies are also responsible for much of our food supply. The prairies of Texas, for example, are a leading provider of our nation’s beef.

Despite their importance, prairies are under threat. For instance, fire is a natural part of the prairie ecosystem. Without it, woody plants like mesquite and juniper replace grassland plant species and disrupt the prairie’s ecosystem services. This phenomenon, called woody plant encroachment, is caused by fire suppression and overgrazing, and is exacerbated by climate change. Scientists at Texas A&M University, Oklahoma State University, and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln study the use of fire and mixed-species grazing to restore and conserve the prairies.

This combination of fire and grazing, known as pyric herbivory, can make prairies more resilient to woody plant encroachment. Historically, both fire and animal grazing prevented woody encroachment and maintained healthy grassland ecosystems in the North American Great Plains. By mirroring these natural fire and grazing processes, landowners can protect prairie habitats and ensure they continue to provide their important ecosystem services.

Scientists are studying the implementation and impacts of pyric herbivory in the Edwards Plateau ecoregion of Texas, where livestock production is an important agricultural industry and where fire can restore landscapes to make land (and livestock) more productive. Importantly, pyric herbivory can also improve wildlife habitat, affecting the many wildlife species of this ecoregion.

Monitoring bird populations is one way to explore the impacts of pyric herbivory on wildlife. The Autonomous Recording Units (ARUs) on our study site record thousands of hours of audio every summer. From these recordings, we will examine how bird populations are responding to pyric herbivory by using an exciting new technology: artificial intelligence (AI). Scientists have recently developed AI software that will estimate which bird species are vocalizing in our recordings. (We use the open-source AI sound analysis tool BirdNET.) These tools are useful, but they can make mistakes. By participating in this project, you’re engaging in real scientific research to help us find those mistakes and understand how this tool works.

With your help, we can interpret what AI is telling us about the impact of pyric herbivory on Texas birds. Our work is an important step toward learning how scientists and landowners can sustain Texas' vital grasslands and protect the birds that inhabit them. Thank you for being part of this journey!

Learn more about woody plant encroachment and pyric herbivory at The Prairie Project’s website.

Our study site

The Prairie Project works with a variety of research centers and private demonstration ranches across the Great Plains, but our recordings came from a research ranch in the Edwards Plateau ecoregion of Texas. The property features grassland plants and prickly pear cactus in addition to mesquite, oak, and other woody species. The ranch is home to a variety of wildlife, including foxes, raccoons, white-tailed deer, and dozens of bird species. Domestic animals on the property include cattle, goats, sheep, and dogs. You might hear them in our recordings!