Decades of research, led by scientists at Kansas State University, offered evidence that reintroducing bison to roam the Tallgrass Prairie, gradually doubled plant diversity and improved resilience to extreme drought. The research took place in the Flint Hills Eco-Region, which is the largest remaining landscape of Tallgrass Prairie. Researchers examined plant composition and diversity on sections of land with no mega-grazers present, with bison allowed to graze throughout the year and with domestic cattle allowed to graze during the growing season.
On understanding how bison influenced plant resilience, researchers were able to capture one of the most extreme droughts since the dust bowl and concluded that the bison promoted diversity and ecological resilience. The study took place on the Kanza Prairie from 1980 to present day.
