Located in North Dakota, NEON's Domain 09 (D09) sites, are historically representative of the region and provide meaningful insight into the ecological impact of grazing activities. As there is little urban development in the area, this site can be compared to other grassland sites within the NEON continental design that may receive chemical climate inputs from agronomic practices or nearby growing urban environments. The D09 sites also provide an understanding of tall grass prairie environments and serve as a benchmark for detecting and exploring the causes and consequences of environmental change taking place throughout the grasslands of the Northern Plains Domain, with results relevant to semi-arid grassland ecosystems worldwide.