Grasslands

By Vishnu, Ira and Arav (9.04)

 An intro to
01 Grasslands

Grasslands are vast, open areas of land where

grasses dominate the landscape, with a little
concentration of trees and shrubs. These
ecosystems are found commonly across the
world except for Antarctica, and are often
characterized by a moderate climate with
seasonal rainfall, which supports the growth
of several plant and animal species. Map 1: World map containing locations of
grasslands around the world
 Climate - Savannah/Tropical
02 Grasslands
Due to the grasslands being one of the most common
biomes in the world, they are spread out in all sorts of
different regions with vastly varying climates. Because
of this it is necessary to break them up into Temperate
and Tropical Grasslands. Most of the tropical
grasslands are found in the form of the African
Savannah. In this particular form the temperature can
vary from 20°C to 30° C. These estimates are based of
the average latitude of 15° North and 30° South along
with the longitude being 15° and 40° West. This humid
and particularly hot climate causes the savannah to
have scattered vegetation and lower resources of
Graph 1: Graph of average temperature and
water. This is followed by an average annual rainfall of rainfall in the savannah
30 to 40 inches. These conditions make it warm to hot
throughout the whole year with high rainfall in a
couple of months.
 Climate - Temperate
03 Grasslands
The average temperature in temperate grasslands varies greatly. They
have hot summers, with temperatures around 37 degrees celsius, and
cool winters, with temperatures around -20 degrees celsius. The
reason for these cool temperatures is the flat surface of the grasslands,
which allows wind to blow freely and cool down the ground.

There is some rain. Due to this cool climate, most of the plants that
grow there are grasses, as the name suggests, and some examples
include Rhodes grass and Bermuda grass. Temperate grasslands
receive around 10 and 35 inches of rain per year.
 Locations Around the
04 World - Tropical Grasslands
There are two main types of grasslands: Tropical and
Temperate, and their locations vary significantly
across the globe. Tropical grasslands, characterized by
warm temperatures year-round and distinct wet and
dry seasons, are primarily found near the equator.
Notable examples include the East African Savannah,
which stretches across countries like Kenya and
Tanzania, the Brazilian Campos grasslands located in
the central and southern regions of Brazil, and the
Llanos of Venezuela and Colombia, which are vast
plains known for their biodiversity.
Map 2: World map of Major Grasslands around the World
 Locations Around the World
05 - Temperate Grasslands
On the other hand, temperate grasslands are found in regions
with more extreme temperature variations between seasons and
are often located further from the equator. The Pampas in
Argentina and Uruguay are extensive temperate grasslands
known for their rich soil, making them ideal for agriculture. In
North America, the Prairies extend across the central United
States and Canada, covering a large portion of the Great Plains.
Additionally, the Asian Steppes are a vast expanse of temperate
grasslands stretching from Eastern Europe across Mongolia to
northern China and southern Siberia, known for their harsh
climate and nomadic cultures.
 Plant and Animal
06 species found in
grasslands
Grasslands, with their unique climate and vegetation, contain a plethora of
plant and animal species. In tropical grasslands like the African savannah,
animals such as lions (Panthera leo) and elephants (Loxodonta africana)
coexist with grasses like Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon) and Rhodes
grass (Chloris gayana). At the same time, herbivores like the wildebeest
(Connochaetes taurinus) play a crucial role in the food chain, supporting
predators. Whereas, in temperate grasslands, such as the North American
prairies, species like the bison (Bison bison) and coyotes (Canis latrans)
thrive alongside plants like buffalo grass (Bouteloua dactyloides) and
needlegrass (Achnatherum spp.). The diversity of life in grasslands is
closely linked to the vegetation, supporting ecosystems that are both
complex and resilient.
 Unique Adaptations
07 of Plants
In the African Savannah, species such as Bermuda grass and Rhodes grass have deep roots
that allow them to reach water far below the surface, helping them endure long dry
seasons. They grow quickly during the rainy season, making the most of the available
moisture. Another example of an unique adaptation belongs to Acacia trees, which have
thorns to protect themselves from herbivores and thick, fire-resistant bark to survive
frequent wildfires. In temperate grasslands, such as the North American prairies, plants like
buffalo grass and needlegrass are adapted to withstand extreme temperature changes,
from hot summers to cold winters. These grasses have narrow leaves to reduce water loss
and deep root systems that help them survive both in extremities of climates.
Image 1: An image of Bermuda Grass and its roots

Image 2: An image of Rhodes grass and its roots

 Unique Adaptations of
08 Animals
In the vast grasslands many species of animals have adapted to the challenges that
may have been faced by them in the past. For example Euungulata which is a large
animal group primarily consisting of hoofed mammals. These certain mammals have
lived in the grasslands over long periods of time allowing them to evolve and
develop hooves, which help them with treading through all sorts of terrain in the
grasslands. Many animals living in this biome have also developed light brown fur
colour for camouflage in dry shrubs and bushes. Another unique of a wide range of
animals in this biome is their ability to eat grass, this has occurred because of the
vast amount of grass and animals were able to adapt their bodies to be able ot
digest it. These impactful changes to an animal living in the grasslands has taken
hundred of thousands of years to occur. With this large timespan it also means that
the animals have also not yet adapted to the significant human impact on the
grasslands, such as; global warming, toxic pesticides and urbanisation. If these
Image 1: Examples of the unique adaptations of a cheetah problems are not taken care of quickly it could cause mass extinction to the diverse
range of species in the grasslands.
 Importance of Grasslands to
09 the Global Ecosystem
Grasslands are crucial to the global ecosystem for several reasons. They
play a vital role in supporting biodiversity by providing habitat for a wide
range of plant and animal species. Grasslands help regulate the Earth’s
climate by acting as carbon sinks, meaning that they absorb carbon
dioxide from the atmosphere, ultimately mitigating climate change.
They also contribute to the water cycle by preventing soil erosion.
Additionally, grasslands support agricultural activities that are essential
for food security, providing ample amounts of land for cattle grazing and
growing crops.
Graph 2: Graph of importance of Grasslands to various branches of science
 Threats and
10 Conservation Efforts
Grasslands and the wildlife within them face several threats, including farming,
overgrazing, invasive species, illegal hunting, and climate change. There is an
increasing frequency and severity of droughts, floods, fires, and hurricanes,
which are likely to affect US grasslands. Droughts can worsen soil erosion and
drain water sources, while unpredictable rainfall may lead to more frequent
fires, which can prevent new vegetation from growing in the grasslands. The
overgrowth of woody plants can be bad for the grassland, because it can
overtake the grass and change the landscape of the environment. There are
many invasive predatory species that contribute to overgrazing in grasslands,
including dingos, foxes, wild pigs, ravens, crows, and eagles. Grasslands, being
Graph 1: Amount of money spent annually protecting critically endangered
grasslands in Victoria flat in nature, are highly susceptible to the effects of climate change. The
purchasing of land is also reducing the surface area of grasslands in Australia.
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Thank You