Treesearch
Undercover invasion: New research reveals how smooth brome overtakes native prairies
| Authors: | Paul Meznarich, Jacqueline P. Ott |
| Year: | 2026 |
| Type: | Science Bulletins and Newsletters |
| Station: | Rocky Mountain Research Station |
| Source: | Science You Can Use In 5 Minutes, November 2026. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station |
Download (PDF 1.07 MB): https://research.fs.usda.gov/download/treesearch/81185.pdf
Abstract
Smooth brome (Bromus inermis) is a Eurasian prairie grass whose roots in America can be traced to 1884, when the California Agricultural Experimental Station began studying its potential as forage for the country’s burgeoning cattle industry. Germinating earlier in the spring with protein-rich foliage and blades wider than native grasses, smooth brome was described in a 1915 Canadian Department of Agriculture circular as “a promising grass, possessing the necessary qualifications to the prairie climate.”