Grasslands

: The Biome

Grasslands are characterized as lands dominated by grasses usually mixed with herbs, flowerssometimes with shrubs , rather than large bushes or trees.

The other plants are generally referred to as forbs. These are plants whose stems do not develop wooden trunks or stems,

but instead remain soft and fleshy.

Characteristics

There are grasslands on most continents. In Africa and Australia they’re called

savannas, steppes in Europe and Asia, and pampas in South America. In North

America we called them Prairies.

Latitude, soil and local climates for the most part determine what kinds of plants

grow in a particular grassland. A grassland is a region where the average annual

precipitation is great enough to support grasses, and in some areas a few trees.

CLIMATIC CONDITIONS

Grassland biomes cover more of the Earth’s surface than any other

biome.

May have occurred naturally or as the result of human activity(anthropogenic grasslands.)Hunter/gatherers set regular fires to maintain andextend grasslands.The tall-grass prairies in the American Midwest mayhave been extended eastward by humans.

The Early Grasslands

Different WeathersIn Summers:-The grass leaves die and turn brown and their flower heads are left to drop seeds. Grasses are extremely important plants in food webs because unlike other plants, their leaves maintain their nutrient quality after they’ve died. This allows farmers to feed hay (dried stems and leaves of grasses) to livestock to sustain them through the winter

In Winter:- Much of the North American Grasslands are cold, windy, and desolate during winter. Trees, barely visible in the background generally only grow along the margin of streams. Most North American Grassland animals migrate or hibernate during the winter months.

Plant Growth

Most of the plant life in the grasslands are grasses. :- They include

Blue Grama, 

Buffalo grass,

Big Blue stem,

Switch grass and Little Blue Stem just to name a few.

FLOWERS

Goldenrods are flowers that offer bright yellow flowers and have a

flat-topped cluster of flowers.

Butterfly-weed has bright orange flowers arranged in terminal umbels. In August, these flowers are conspicuous in the plant's grassland habitats.

Gray-headed coneflower (Ratibida pinnata)

The Purple Cone Flower is a magenta plant that blooms in the mid-summer, early fall, and mid-fall.

The BlazingStar has yellow petals, and blooms from August to September. It survives in environments that are dry, with moist land, and plenty of sun.

Fleabane is part of the Aster family and blooms from April through June.

ANIMALSThe huge, majestic elephant is perhaps the most imposing of all the African mammals. It has larger ears and tusks than the Asian species and two finger-like extensions at the end of its trunk.

Primarily grazers, bison live in herds that vary from a family group to several thousand; huge numbers formerly made seasonal migrations in search of better pasture.

The giraffe, with its long legs and its amazingly long neck, when erect stands up to 3.3 m (11 ft) at the shoulder and nearly 6 m (19 1/2 ft) at the crown. Its characteristic coloration of a light body and irregular dark spots is very variable, both geographically and between individuals

Typical of its family, with a bulky head and back sloping toward the rear, the brown hyena has

long, rough hair over much of its body, with a mane of even longer hair on the neck and

shoulders. This hyena is usually dark brown to brownish-black in colour, with a lighter-brown mane and legs. Unless in a family group, the

brown hyena is solitary.

The black rhinoceros is, in fact, gray in colour but varies according to the mud in which it wallows. It

has no hump on its neck but has a large head, held horizontally, which bears two horns and sometimes

a third small horn. Its upper lip is pointed and mobile, which helps the animal to browse on the

leaves, buds, and shoots.

A splendid, powerfully built cat, the lion has a broad head, thick, strong legs and a long tail tipped with a tuft of hair that conceals a clawlike spine.

The ostrich is too big to fly but has become so perfectly adapted to high-speed running that it is the fastest creature on two legs. At speeds of up to 70 km/h (44 mph), it can easily outstrip most enemies. Powerful legs, flexible knees and supple, two-toed feet are its adaptations for speed.

The black-footed ferret feeds mainly on prairie dogs, but these animals are considered farm pests and large numbers are poisoned. This destruction of their natural prey has caused a drastic decline in the numbers of ferrets -- and their indirect poisoning. The black-footed ferret is now protected by law, but it is still in great danger of extinction.

The prairie dog derives its common name from its stocky, terrierlike appearance and from its sharp, doglike bark, which it utters to herald danger. One of the most social rodent species, prairie dogs live in underground burrows, called towns, containing several thousand individuals. They emerge by day to graze on grass and other vegetation and can often cause serious damage to cattle ranges.

REPTILESNile CrocodileThe largest crocodile in Africa is the Nile crocodile; a grasslands reptile that can reach 20 feet in length, and weigh over half a ton. While the common diet of this legendary man-eater is fish, the Nile crocodile will attack and eat any creature that he happens upon; from zebra to water bison and even other crocodiles.

African Rock PythonAnother grasslands reptile that is renowned for its size is the African rock python: the largest snake in the country. This non-venomous snake can grow to nearly 25 feet in length, and kills his prey by constricting them to death. The python’s prey ranges from large rodents to antelopes and crocodiles.

Leopard TortoiseThe leopard tortoise is a peaceful grasslands reptiles that spends most of his days hiding in the long grasses of his habitat. An herbivore, the leopard tortoise grazes on the many different varieties of grass around him, and indulges now and again in the fruit of the prickly pear. Leopard tortoises are on the larger scale of land turtle; they can grow up to two feet in length, and weigh close to 100 pounds.

Black MambaKnown for being the deadliest snake in the world, the black mamba is a vicious grasslands reptile. The black mamba can reach 14 feet in length and is frighteningly fast: this deadly snake can reach speeds of 12 miles per hour. The black mamba is not so called because of the colour of her scales, which are a brownish-grey, but for the purple-black colour of the inside of her mouth. The black mamba is most active during the day, hunting the grasslands for birds and small mammals.

BIRDSWith its uniformly barred plumage, the Greater Prairie Chicken is nearly identical to the lesser prairie chicken, though slightly darker and, aptly enough, larger. In summer, the bird feeds mostly on insects, seeds and fruits. It hides its nests in tall, dense grass, laying 7 to 17 eggs.

 Well-adapted to inhabiting the agricultural landscape, the Dickcissel can currently be found in hayfields, fallow fields, weedy ditches, and grasslands from the Great Lakes to the Gulf States, wintering in northern South America. The bird is a wanderer, appearing in large numbers at a breeding ground one year and totally absent the next.

Nesting in the prairies and cultivated land of south Canada and the northern United States, and wintering in the grasslands and marshes of Argentina, the Bobolink migrates at least 5,000 miles each way. The vast distance is more impressive in relation to the bobolink’s diminutive size, averaging 7 inches in length, 11.5 inches in wingspan, and 1.5 ounces in weight. 

Human Impact on the Grasslands

THIS IS A POWER PLANT ON A GRASSLAND

Human Impact on the Grasslands*Grasslands are sadly being threatened by human impacts. They are disappearing due to dividing up the land for farming and urban development. Dividing up the land for farming is bad because the animals of the grasslands don't have any way to move around.

*25% of grasslands have disappeared because of people building power plants, cities, schools, roads, permanent homes (also know as urban development).

* Prairie animals are also being endangered. For example, farmers think that prairie dogs are pests because they burrow and can cause injury to cattle and horses. Farmers kill them even though it is illegal.

*In the tropical grasslands, people are illegally poaching endangered animals. For example, people are poaching tigers, elephants, and leopards and more endangered animals like that.

*People tour the tropical grasslands and watch the animals. The animals are developing behavior problems due to being observed for long periods. Plus, the cars the people are touring in have a pollution effect on the tropical grasslands.

THIS USED TO BE A GRASSLAND, BUT NOW IT'S COVERD WITH BUILDINGS

THIS PERSON IS DEALING WITH A POACHED TIGER PELT

HOW YOU CAN HELP???

You can help the grasslands by biking to school and recycling items such as paper, plastic bags/bottles, and paper bags. You can also help by getting your family members to drive fewer miles in the car. If it is a short distance and nice weather, it would be a good idea to walk or bike wherever you are going. Remember, if you see litter, pick it up

What Are the Impacts of Humans on Grassland Biomes?

Human population growth has a major impact on the different biomes of the Earth. Grassland biomes, characterized by large areas of land where grasses are the primary form of plant life, are affected by expanding human civilization in particular ways. The grazing land for many species of animals, which in turn provide a food source for larger predators, is often at risk.

What Are the Impacts of Humans on Grassland Biomes?

Urban DevelopmentThe biggest impact that humans have on grasslands is by developing open areas for farming or urban development. Such development is prevalent because grasslands are generally level areas with little need for major work to develop the land. The development of land drives animals away from populated areas and changes the conditions of the environment.

Farming

When grasslands are converted into cropland, it reduces the food source for many wild animals. In this case, the animals are considered pests by the farmers when they feed on the crops. This can lead to migration or possibly the starvation of the animals. Not only does the conversion of land into crops change the ecosystem, but so does the farming of livestock. If livestock are allowed to graze in areas where wild animals live, they compete over the food source and can deplete it. This overgrazing is a problem especially in the drier grassland regions, where the grasses resources can be depleted. The land can also be plowed too much, stripping the nutrients from the soil. Salts from irrigation waters can also damage the ground, resulting in the blowing away of the dry soil. This is the process that created the Dust Bowl in the American west in the 1930s and continues to cause major dust storms.

Hunting

Hunting has had and continues to have a serious impact on the biome. The American bison population was devastated by the European settlers and almost became extinct due to overhunting for the fur and meat. Poachers are likewise killing rhinoceroses for their tusks and elephants for their ivory in Africa.

Global Warming

As the Earth's climate changes in response to human involvement, the grasslands become vulnerable. Climate change can cause ecological succession, in which the ecosystem of an area develops into another. Changing temperatures, weather patterns and water availability can throw an area of grassland out of balance and change it forever.

Fires

Because grasslands can be found in drier climates, the plant life is susceptible to fires. Wildfires occur as a natural process within an ecosystem and play a critical role in replenishing the land. However, fires tend to originate more frequently near human populations, particularly in drier months.

Positive Impacts

Humans do not have only a negative impact on grasslands. There are some that do their part to preserve the land and restore it. National parks have been developed around grasslands, and some organizations replant areas of depleted grassland. Governments have enacted laws against the hunting of endangered animals. In particular, the U.S. National Parks Service has preserved land to foster the American bison population. While poaching still exists in many areas, there are efforts to stop it.

LIFE STYLE

About 800 million people live in grasslands. In the Americas, most of the original land has been turned into agricultural uses and urban areas. On the contrary, very few people live in the Steppe climate because of the harsh conditions.

NORTH AMERICAN PRAIRIE

Before settlers moved west, the prairies were inhabited and looked after by Indian tribes who had learnt to respect and support the natural life cycles. Today very little of the original prairies survive. There is a strong movement to educate people about prairies. Many states are rehabilitating what is left of their prairies and reintroducing the native wildlife and plants.

SOUTH AMERICAN PAMPAS

The humid Pampas ecosystem is one of the richest grazing areas in the world. Because of its temperate climate and rich, deep soil, most of the Pampas has been cultivated and turned into croplands. Unfortunately, domestic livestock and farming have severely affected the pampas. Fertilizers and overgrazing are a serious threat to the pampas. There are only a very few pristine remnants of the legendary "ocean of grass" that was the Pampas. It is considered to be one of the most endangered habitats on earth.

ASIAN STEPPE

Very few people live in the Steppe, mostly migrating shepherd tribes because the vegetation is only grass. Farmers would have a hard time growing crops because the soil is so poor and its so cold.

AFRICAN SAVANNAH

In many parts of the savannas of Africa people have started using it to graze their cattle and goats. They don't move around and soon the grasses are completely eaten up. With no vegetation, the savanna turns into a desert. Huge areas of savanna are lost to the Sahara desert every year because of overgrazing and farming.

SOUTH AFRICAN  VELDT

To most South African  farmers today the “veldt” refers to the land they work, much of which has long since ceased to be “natural.”

NORTHERN AUSTRALIAN GRASSLANDS

For all known history, Northern Australia was home to about 100 tribal groups. Aboriginal populations fished, hunted and lived on wild plants. Captain Cook was thrilled to discover the lush, green carpet of grass and wild flowers that covered the land from coast to coast when he first arrived in Australia.

CONCLUSION

However, European settlers changed much of this natural scenery. Most native grasslands were turned into grazing pastures or changed for farming and housing. Though some of the traditional knowledge has been lost, modern-day Australians have realized the need to return to tradition and there is a growing movement to restore land rights to the indigenous populations to enable them to reconnect with their cultural heritage.