GRASSLAND GRASSLAND

BURGOS, Edilyn Joy

CARDANO, Danice Ann
COMBO, John Michael
DEL REY, Christine
GANUT, Jenny Rose
LONTO, Lota
VALERIO, Anne Carrissa
CAS 06-501E Prof. Norby Bautista
Grasslands are wide
expanses of land filled with
low growing plants such as
What are Grasslands?
low growing plants such as
grasses and wildflowers.
The amount of rain is not
enough to grow tall trees
and produce a forest, but it
is enough to not form a
desert.
Temperatures in temperate grasslands
vary according to the season.
In winter, temperatures can plummet
to well below 0 degrees Fahrenheit in
some areas.
Climate
some areas.
In summer, temperatures can reach
above 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
Temperate grasslands receive low to
moderate precipitation on average per
year (20-35 inches).
Most of this precipitation is in the form
of snow in temperate grasslands of the
northern hemisphere.
Where are the major world
grasslands?
Grasslands are generally located between deserts and forests.
The major temperate grasslands are located in central North
America in the United States, in Southeast South America in
Uruguay and Argentina, and in Asia along the southern
portion of Russia and Mongolia.
Types of Temperate
Grassland
Each major area of grasslands in the world has
its own characteristics and is often called by
other names
Grasslands are located on every continent with the exception
of Antarctica. Some locations of temperate grasslands
include:
Location
include:
Argentina - pampas
Australia - downs
Central North America - plains and prairies
Hungary - puszta
New Zealand - downs
Russia - steppes
South Africa - veldts
Prairie
Grasslands in North
America are called the
prairies. They cover prairies. They cover
around 1.4 million square
miles of the central United
States including some of
Canada and Mexico.
Steppes
The steppes are grasslands
that cover southern Russia
all the way to the Ukraine all the way to the Ukraine
and Mongolia. The steppes
stretch over 4,000 miles of
Asia including much of the
fabled Silk Road from China
to Europe.
Pampas
The grasslands in South
America are often
called the pampas. called the pampas.
They cover around
300,000 square miles
between the Andes
Mountains and the
Atlantic Ocean.
Common Problems
The temperate grassland biome faces various The temperate grassland biome faces various
environmental threats, namely drought, fire, and
conversion to farmlands by humans.
Drought is an environmental
problem to temperate
grasslands due to the
climate of the biome. Since
Drought
climate of the biome. Since
summers can often reach
high temperatures in
temperate grasslands and
the rate of precipitation can
be mild, drought is often
likely. This exemplifies how
climate affects the biome.
Fire plays a big role in this biome,
preserving biodiversity and
keeping trees from overtaking the
grasses. Lightning from large
Fire
grasses. Lightning from large
storms rolling over the grasslands
ignites large grass-fires. These
fires help certain plants by
germinating seeds, clearing
ground cover to allow rare plants a
chance and by nourishing the soil
with freshly burnt vegetation.
Plants and Vegetation
Different kinds of grass grow in different areas of the
grasslands. There are actually thousands of different kinds of
grasses that grow in this biome. Where they grow usually grasses that grow in this biome. Where they grow usually
depends on the amount of rain that area gets. In wetter
grasslands, there are tall grasses that can grow up to six feet
high. In dryer areas the grasses grow shorter, maybe only a
foot or two tall.
Buffalo grass
Blue grama grass
Switch grass
Needle grass
Big bluestem
Switch grass
Herbivores
Bison Zebra Bison
Gazelle
Zebra
Rhinoceros
Carnivores
Lion
Wolves
Insects, Arachnids, Crustaceans
Relationship: Predation
Bees
Relationship: Predation
Bees are adapted for feeding on
nectar and pollen, the former
primarily as an energy source and
the latter primarily for protein and
other nutrients. Most pollen is
used as food for larvae.
Spider
Most spiders are insufficiently
dangerous or unpleasant-tasting
for warning coloration to offer
much benefit.
Spider
Beetles
Relationship: Parasitism
Beetles feeding habits are
widely varied, but all have
mouthparts adapted for
chewing. Many beetles are
herbivores, feeding on plants.
Beetles
Relationship: Parasitism
Mosquito
Relationship: Parasitism
Mosquitoes feed on sweet nectar,
fruit, and other sugary substances.
The females of some mosquito
species also feed on blood, which
they need in order for their ovaries
to mature and for their eggs to
develop.
Amphibians
Frog
Common characteristics: Frogs
have very good eyesight. They
bulge out the sides of their
heads in order for the frog to
see in nearly all directions.
Frog
Relationship: Predation
Salamander
Salamanders never have more than
four toes on their front legs and five
on their rear legs, but some species
have fewer digits and others lack hind
limbs. Their permeable skin usually
makes them reliant on habitats in or
near water or other cool, damp places.
Reptiles
Lizard
Relationship: Predation
Feeding insectivorous lizards is
fraught with problems. Firstly, in
the wild the lizard will obviously
be eating live prey.
Lizard
Snakes
Many species of snakes have
skulls with several more joints
than their lizard ancestors,
enabling them to swallow prey
much larger than their heads
with their highly mobile jaws.
Snakes
Birds
Northern Cardinal: This large crested
finch has a vivid red body. The black
mask and chin contrast with a heavy
Northern Cardinal
finch has a vivid red body. The black
mask and chin contrast with a heavy
red bill. Female is duller overall, with
red wings and tail washed with gray,
and smaller crest. Forages on the
ground in trees and bushes. Feeds on
seeds, grains, fruits, insects and snails.
Hops instead of walking on the
ground. Alternates rapid wing beats
with wings pulled to sides.
Sedge Wren: Small wren with white-
Sedge Wren
E
R
R
O
R
:

s
t
a
c
k
u
n
d
e
r
f
l
o
w
O
F
F
E
N
D
I
N
G

C
O
M
M
A
N
D
:

~
S
T
A
C
K
: