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Nonnative Grass Invasions and Fire in the Mojave Desert
Recent USGS studies have shown that nonnative annual grasses in the genera Bromus and Schismus now dominate most plant communities in the Mojave Desert. Unlike most native annual plants, these grasses grow in many different situations and can create continuous fuel beds across the landscape by  filling in the plant-free space that once separated and protected native perennials from fire.

Issues

Costs and benefits can vary on environmental issues such as agricultural practices, climate change, fire, and invasive species. The effects, whether positive or negative, are monitored and tracked by the Status and Trends of Biological Resources Program to better understand how natural and anthropogenic factors impact the status and trends of the Nation's biological resources.