Why do bison body-slam trees?

About this episode

This episode explores the role of American bison in grassland ecosystems with Dr. Andy Boyce.

Did you know that American bison help prevent grasslands from turning into forests by body-slamming young trees? And that they once lived in herds so enormous they stretched all the way to the horizon? This week, we travel to the grasslands of Montana with Dr. Andy Boyce, a research ecologist at the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute. Discover why bison live in herds, how they defend themselves from predators, and why scientists call them a keystone species. Along t...

People in this episode

Guest: Dr. Andy Boyce

Topics covered

• American bison
• grassland ecosystems
• keystone species
• animal behavior
• conservation

Keywords

• bison
• grasslands
• ecosystem
• predators
• herds
• conservation
• Montana

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, PBS Nature, National Wildlife Federation

Places: Montana, American grasslands

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