South Dakota Biodiversity Surveys

Documenting changes in biodiversity within the Northern Great Plains as related to changes in cattle grazing patterns (2024 to 2028)

Biodiversity Research Institute (BRI) biologists and seasonal staff conducted biodiversity surveys on six cattle and bison ranches across eastern Wyoming and South Dakota in 2024. These surveys are part of the larger “Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities – The Grass is Greener on the Other Side – Developing Climate-Smart Beef and Bison Commodities” project coordinated by South Dakota State University and funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Similar to the work conducted in Kenya, Zambia, and Tanzania, the biodiversity surveys include the quantification of soil carbon, vegetation, invertebrate and wildlife populations to establish baseline conditions that will be used in comparison to replicated surveys conducted in 2027. The future surveys will take place after grazing patterns for cattle have been altered to improve soil carbon sequestration and grassland habitat quality.