Long Term Effect of Major Disturbances on the Northern Mixed Grassland Ecosystem—A Review

Abstract

Grassland ecosystems in North America have been significantly altered\rthrough various disturbances from past to present. This paper has identified\rand examined major disturbances in the grassland ecosystems, which include\rgrazing, fire and drought. A brief history of each disturbance is reviewed and\rits impact on the grassland ecosystem is discussed, by synthesizing previous research\refforts available in the current literature. The paper intends to understand\rthe grassland ecosystem from a comprehensive perspective and particularly tries\rto articulate the compound effect of the major disturbances in the same context\rinstead of viewing them in isolations. It is concluded that a holistic\runderstanding of the interaction between disturbances and plant communities is\ressential for sustainable grassland management, which demands comprehensive research\reffort in this area. The paper also points out the challenges we are facing in\rthe current researches and suggests potential future improvement.