Ozark Grasslands Experience Major Increase in Trees and Shrubs

Katherine E Kerlin — September 20, 2017 - 2:39pm

Woody vegetation, such as trees and shrubs, has increased dramatically in Ozark grasslands over the past 75 years, according to a study published this week in the journal Landscape Ecology.

The study examines grasslands called dolomite glades in the Mark Twain National Forest near Ava, Missouri. It analyzed historical aerial photos and found that woody vegetation cover increased from 8 percent in 1939 to 59 percent in 2014.

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Ozark Grasslands Experience Major Increase in Trees and Shrubs