Biotic and Abiotic Features
The Temperate grasslands biome is located north of the Tropic of Cancer (23.5 degrees north) and south of the Tropic of Capricorn (23.5 degrees south). Some of the major Temperate Grasslands include veldts of Africa, the pampas of South America, the steppes of Eurasia, and the plains of North America. The temperate grasslands have hot summers and cold winters. Summer heat can be well over 100 degrees fahrenheit and winter can be as low as -40 degrees fahrenheit. There are two seasons here – the growing season and the dormant season. The length of the growing season will depend on how long the rainy season it. When it is long so is the growing season. Approximately 25% of the Earth is a grassland biome. They can be further classified as either tropical or temperate grassland biomes. With the tropical scenario, it is hot all year long. There are several rainy periods throughout the year.The grasslands typically have between 10 and 35 inches precipitation a year, much of it occurring during the late spring and early summer.
Different grasses are the dominant vegetation in the temperate grasslands. Trees and large shrubs are largely absent. Grasslands are considered the transitional biome. This means they are usually found between deserts and forests. A few trees grow in the river valleys of the grasslands such as, cottonwoods, oaks, willows, and a few hundred species of flowers grow in the grasses. Flowers include asters, blazing stars, cone flowers, goldenrods, sunflowers, clover, psoraleas, and wild indigos. The various species of grasses that grow include purple needle-grass, blue grama, buffalo grass, and galleta.
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The temperate grasslands have a very low diversity of wildlife, but a high abundance of wildlife. In North America the main grazing animals are bison and pronghorn. Rodents include pocket gophers and prairie dogs. Carnivores include wolves, coyotes, swift foxes, badgers and black-footed ferrets. Birds include grouses, meadowlarks, quails, sparrows, hawks, and owls.
The soil of the grasslands is nutrient rich from the growth and decay of many-branched grass roots. The rotted roots hold the soil together and provide a food source for the living plants. There are many species of grasses that are dominant species in their own region. Each species of grass grows better with varying temperatures / rainfall / and soil conditions. Grasses are dominant, instead of trees, because of fire, drought and grazing by large herbivores.
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