grasslands

Grasslands

Grasslands are charecterized as lands dominated by grasses. Grasslands have scattered individual trees. Savannas Grasslands are always found in warm or hot climates where thw annual rainfall is from about 50.8 to 127cm. After the rain its followed by a long period of drought when fires can occur. If the rain where distibuted throughout the year some areas would become tropical rainforests. Savannas that are caused by climatic conditions are called //climactic savannas.// Savaannas that are caused by soil conditions and are not entirely maintained by fire are called //edaphic savannas.// Theese can occur on hills or ridges where the soil is shallow. or in valleys where the soil becomes waterlogged in wet weather. Another is called //derived savanna// caused by people clearing forest land for cultivation. elephants have created a savanna by eating leaves and twigs and breaking off the branches, smashing the trunks and stripping the bark of trees.

The soil in savannas is porous, with rapid drainage of water. It only has a thin layer of humous. The vegitation in a grassland consists of grasses and forbs.In October, A series of violent thunderstorms followed up by a strong drying wind. Theese are singnals of a dry season. Fire is occurs around January. The fires do not hurt the community. Most of the animals killed are only insects. Even though the fire burns most of the grass is burned by the fire most of the remain unharmed. Then again dureing March violent thunderstorms occur again. When the rain comes the grasses grow forcefully. Some of the larger grasses grow an inch or more over 24 hours. savanna pcitures

Temperate grasslands Temperate grasslands are known as having grasses as the dominate vegitation. There are no trees or large shrubs. The temperatures vary from summer to winter. The amount of rainfall is less than in savannas. Temperate grasslands have hot summers and cold winters. Rainfall is moderate. The amount of the annual rainfall influences the height of the grasslands plants. It has taller grasses in wtter reagions. Seasonal drought and occasional fires are very important to the different plants and animals. the soil in the temperate grasslands are deep and dark with fertile upper layers. It has lots of nutriants. The rotted roots hold the soil together and provide a food source for living plants. Different species of grass grows in different grassland enviroment. Cottonwoods, oaks and Willows grow in river valleys and some hundreds of flower plants. The different grasses include Purple needlegrass, Blue grama, buffalo grass and galleta. The flowers include asters, blazing stars, coneflowers, goldenrods, sunflowers, clovers, psoraleas and wild indigos.

Precipitation in the temperate grasslands usually occurs in the late spring and early summer. The annual average is about 50.8 to 89.9 cm. The temperature range is very large over the year. Summer temperarues can be over 38 degrees. Winter temperatures can be as low as -40 degrees.

The fauna include gazelles, zebras, rhinooceroses, wild horses, lions, wolves, prairie dogs, jack rabbits, deer, mice, coyotes, foxes, skunks, badgers, blackbirds, grouses, meadowwlarks, quails, sparrows, hawks, owls, snakes, grasshoppers, leafhoppers and spiders.

Steppes Dry areas of grassland with hot summers and cold winters. They recive 25.4 to 50.8 cm of rainfall a year. Steppes occur in the interiors of North America and Europe. Plants growing in Steppes are usually greater than 1 foot tall. They include blue grama, buffalo grass, cacti, sagebrush, speargrass amd small plants that are relatives of the sunflower. Fauna here includes badgers, hawks, owls and snakes. People use steppes to graze livestock and grow wheat and other crops.