They typically associate with the herbaceous component of these habitats. However, these processes are nearly entirely disrupted today because of the destruction and fragmentation of these habitats. In unmanaged prairie and savanna sites, the vegetational composition and structure often alter as a result of invasion and maturation of woody species and smothering under dead plant matter. Thus, these habitats usually require active management today to maintain the ecosystem and its biodiversity. But because of their decimation and degradation, it is difficult to know exactly which processes occurred in which ways to maintain these habitats.
Various theories exist to explain the origin and maintenance of prairie and savanna habitats.
Despite this conflict, the management most successful at maintaining these habitats and their native species is logically assumed to be based on these natural processes. Some Missouri preserves are managed primarily with summer haying and a little burning and cattle grazing. Depending on scale and definition, habitat patches in many sites could be classified either as prairie or savanna. A few more Wisconsin barren sites in national forest and state park ownership lie immediately south and northeast of Karner Blue range. Canopy cover of woody plants was estimated informally.