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Did You Know...?

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.

Ecosystems

Many places on Earth harbor life, but the conditions that shape these environments—weather, climate, and even the organisms themselves—are widely varying, resulting in the amazingly diverse landscape of the Nation that includes caves, forests, coastlines, and deserts. The Status and Trends of Biological Resources Program studies the diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems of the Nation to better understand where, how, and why the Nation's habitats change overtime.