EC3014D ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

FOR ELECTRONICS ENGINEERS

Lecture – 10
Grassland and Desert Ecosystems
 Grassland Ecosystems
• Grassland areas – Low rain fall or soil depth
and quality is poor
• Low rainfall prevent the growth of large trees
and shrubs
• The rainfall is sufficient to support the growth
of grass during Monsoon
• Several species of insects, birds and mammals
have evolved after adapting these wide open
grass covered areas
• Based on availability of food, animal store fat
to utilize in the dormant phase of grass
• Excessive grazing due to animal domestication
damaged this eco systems • Grass – Seasonal appearance
• During summer time, exposed part
dies
• Grass cover grows back from the
root stock seeds during monsoon
 Types of Grasslands in India
Shola Grassland

• Different climatic conditions

– Near desert
• Rajasthan
– Shola grasslands
• Himalayans, western Ghats Near desert Grassland- Thar desert
– High cold pastures
• Upper Himalayans
– Semiarid grass lands
– Low-lying Terai belt south of
Himalayan foot hills

High cold pastures, Himalayans

Terai-Duvana grassland, Nepal

 Himalayan Pasture Belt
• Grasslands at a lower level form
patches along coniferous or broad
leaved forests
• Wildlife in Himalayas – bot forest
and grassland ecosystems are vital
• Summer times – wild animals
migrate to higher altitude grasslands
• Winter times – move down into
forest in the winter
• Large variety of grasses and herbs
• Terai grassland
• Hill slopes are covered with – Patches of tall elephant grass which grow to a
thousands of colorful flowering height of 5m

plants – Tall grassland intercepted with Sal forest

ecosystem
• Large number of medicinal plants – Terai includes marshes in low-lying depressions
Semi arid plains of western, central India and
Deccan Plateau and Shola grasslands
• Semi arid plains
• Shola grasslands
• Grassland tracts with patches of thorn
• Patches of hill-slopes along shola forests
forest
on western Ghats, the Nilgiris and
• Several mammals Annamalai ranges
– Wolf, blackbuck, chinkara and birds • Along the streams & low lying areas
– bustards, floricans
• Seasonal dependent
• Fauna dependent
 Grassland
• Grasslands can form along the water streams, cleared areas in forest and after forest fire
• Main source of biomass
• Wide variety of herbs and grasses
• Some grass and herb species are very sensitive to excessive grazing
• Overused or frequently burnt grasslands are degraded
• Use of grass land
– Fodder for cattle
– Maintain biodiversity
– Storehouse for carbon
– Recreational use and wild life viewing
– Thony bushes, fuel wood
• Threats to grassland ecosystems
• Overgrazing
• Frequent fires
• Only 3.7% of total land is grassland
• Conversion to irrigation land
• Industrialization
– Washed away during monsoon rain
– Dust storms
– Land gets degraded – waste land
 Disappearance of grass land and Conservation

• Disappearance of Grasslands
– Grasslands are disappearing in India rapidly
– Many grassland species are extinct
• Wolf – highly threatened, India cheetah – extinct
• What happens after disappearance
– Loss of highly specialized eco-system
– New medicines can not be discovered
– New strains of domestic animals may not be developed
• Conservation of Grassland
– Should not be overgrazed
– Some areas must be closed like national parks
– Rotational grazing
– Creation of sanctuaries and national parks
– No plantation of trees
– Need to create awareness among the people about grasslands
– National priority for protection
 Desert Ecosystem

• Western India and Deccan Plataeu

• Climate is extremely dry
• Cold desert exist in Ladakh
• Typical landscape of desert is sand dunes
• Adjoining semi arid area – Vegetation (few shrubs and thorny trees, kher and babul)
• The Great and little Rann of Kutch is a specialized arid eco system
– Summer – desert landscape
– Monsoon – Salt marshes (low lying areas near to sea)
– Aquatic birds- ducks, geese, cranes and storks

• Rann of Kutch is the only breeding ground in India for Flamingos in India
• Little Rann of Kutch – home to wild ass in India
• Desert landscapes are home to highly specialized insects and reptiles
– Indian wolf, desert cat, desert fox, and birds such as great Indian Bustard adnd florican

• Common birds – partridge, quail and sand-grouse

• Uses
– Sheep grazing, camel, cattle and goat grazing
– Areas that have little moisture, Jowar (Sorghum) and Bajra (millet)
 Threats and Conservation of Desert
Ecosystems

• Threats
– Extensive irrigation system
– Canal water evaporation bringing the salt to the surface
– Saline land – unproductive
– Over-water extraction – tube wells – more dry environment
– Human activities are destroying the authenticity of this unique system
• Conservation
– Desert people protect their meagre water resources
– Bishnoi tribe – protection of Khejdi trees
– Indira Gandhi canal in Rajasthan is destroying natural ecosystem in Rajasthan
– Salt works In Rann of Kutch making wild ass extinct
– Sustainable development