Cheatgrass is an invasive plant wreaking havoc on ecosystems and increasing the risk of wildfires in Nevada. So what makes such a small grass such a big problem? Plant ecologist Dr. Hall Cushman of the University of Nevada, Reno, explains how cheatgrass harms our ecosystems and why they are so difficult to remove.

This story was originially published for The Hitchcock Project for Visualizing Science at the University of Nevada, Reno, and can be found here.