Routledge Handbook of Grasslands

Heather A. Hager is an ecologist and natural sciences research facilitator at Wilfrid Laurier University, Canada, and an award-winning textile artist.David J. Gibson is a plant ecologist and Emeritus in the School of Biological Sciences at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, USA. He is the author of Grasses and Grassland Ecology (2009) and co-editor of Grasslands and Climate Change (2019).Jonathan A. Newman is a temperate grassland ecologist and Vice President: Research at Wilfrid Laurier University, Canada. He is co-author of Defending Biodiversity (2017) and co-editor of Grasslands and Climate Change (2019).

• 1. Grasslands at the Crossroads: Integrating Science, Culture, and Sustainability PART I Deep Roots, Dynamic Futures: Understanding the Science of Grasslands 2. Rise of the Grasslands: Evolution, Fire, and Mammalian Giants 3. Grasslands at Scale: Mapping Extent, Diversity, and the Price of Neglect 4. Soil Symphony: How Grassland Nutrients Flow, Store Carbon, and Enhance Ecosystem Services 5. Predicting Pasture Prospects: Climate Scenarios and Carbon Futures for Global Grasslands PART II. Living Complexity: Grassland Function, Biodiversity, and Renewal 6. Physiological and Anatomical Traits of Grass Species: Diversification Facilitates Persistence in Grassy Ecosystems 7. Adaptive Alleles on the Prairie: Genomic Insights for a Warming World 8. Filters, Pools & Fire: Decoding How Grassland Communities Form 9. Endophytes Unveiled: Microbial Keys to Grassland Resilience and Productivity 10. From Fragments to Function: Habitat Quality, Size, and Connectivity for Grassland Invertebrates 11. Giants of the Grass: How Large Herbivores Sculpt Savannas and Prairies 12. Ecosystems on the Edge: Unraveling Compositional, Structural, and Functional Loss in Grasslands 13. Hooves on a Gradient: Livestock, Moisture, and Ecosystem Changes 14. Adapt or Perish: Trait-Based Tales from Turbulent Grasslands 15. Switching States: How Climate Change Flips the Grass-Woody Balance 16. Cross-Border Colonists: How Naturalised Species Reshape Prairies, Pampas, and Savannas 17. Beyond Fences: Balancing Food, Fire, and Biodiversity in Grassland Conservation 18. Grassland Restoration: Understanding the Past to Change the Future 19. Rewilding the Range: Trophic Restoration for Resilient Grasslands PART III. Working Landscapes: Innovation and Tradition in Grassland Stewardship 20. Pasture Perfect: Designing Grasses for Yield, Quality, and Carbon Capture 21. Cultivating Resilience: Grassland Agronomy in a Changing Climate 22. Conflict and Coexistence: Untangling the Socio-Ecology of Human-Wildlife Interactions in Rangelands 23. Ancestral Stewardship: Indigenous Knowledge Shaping Africa's Grasslands 24. Meet Me in the Meadow: How Spatial Ecology Drives Natural Pest Regulation 25. Rangeland Vital Signs: Evaluating Health and Productivity 26. From Drones to Digital Twins: High-Tech Eyes on Grassland Change PART IV. Social-Ecological Ties: Grassland Services, Justice, and Governance 27. Hectares & Hidden Wealth: Valuing Provisioning, Cultural, and Regulating Services 28. Pastures in Parallel: How Management and Nature Co-Create Grassland Value 29. Fields of Uncertainty: Charting Climate-Smart Futures for Global Grasslands 30. Breaking the Grassland Glass Ceiling: Women Ranchers and Sustainable Development 31. From Fields to Frameworks: Crafting Effective Grassland Policies Part V. Landscapes of Meaning: Cultural and Creative Perspectives on Grasslands 32. Beyond Grazing: Pastoralism's Role in Culture, Economy, and Ecology 33. “I felt that the grass was the country”: A Literary History of Grasslands 34. Prairie Perspectives: Eco-Revelatory Art and Grassland Narratives 35. Sacred Spaces: Exploring the Cultural and Spiritual Heart of Grasslands Conclusion 36. Saving Our Shared Heritage: Priorities for Grassland Conservation and Management