Prairie dogs are a keystone species of the Great Plains, but periodic outbreaks of sylvatic plague can rapidly devastate entire colonies, with cascading effects on grassland ecosystems. New research by Ana Davidson (consortium partner for the NC CASC) and collaborators, including NC CASC's lead climate scientist, Imtiaz Rangwala, draws on nearly 30 years of monitoring and observations across the Great Plains to better understand what drives these outbreaks. The team found that while characteristics of prairie dog colonies consistently influence how plague spreads, the effects of weather and climate vary from one location to another. Rather than a one-size-fits-all relationship, local environmental conditions play an important role in determining disease risk. The study also introduces a new analytical framework that captures these location-specific differences, offering a more accurate way to forecast wildlife disease outbreaks and inform conservation planning as climate conditions continue to change.