Grassland

Grasslands, explained
Savanna, steppe, prairie, or pampas: They're all grasslands,
the globe's most agriculturally useful habitats.
 Grasslands go by many names. In the U.S. Midwest, they're often called prairies. In
South America, they're known as pampas. Central Eurasian grasslands are referred to as
steppes, while African grasslands are savannas. What they all have in common are grasses,
their naturally dominant vegetation. Grasslands are found where there is not enough regular
rainfall to support the growth of a forest, but not so little that a desert forms. In fact,
grasslands often lie between forests and deserts.

Depending on how they’re defined, grasslands account for between 20 and 40

percent of the world's land area. They are generally open and fairly flat, and they exist on
every continent except Antarctica, which makes them vulnerable to pressure from human
populations. Threats to natural grasslands, as well as the wildlife that live on them, include
farming, overgrazing, invasive species, illegal hunting, and climate change.
 At the California’s grasslands and rangelands could store more
carbon than forests same time, grasslands could help mitigate climate
change: One study found because they are less susceptible to wildfires
and drought. Still, only a small percentage—less than 10 percent—of
the world's grassland is protected.
Types of grasslands
There are two main kinds of grasslands: tropical and temperate. Examples
of temperate grasslands include Eurasian steppes, North American prairies, and
Argentine pampas. Tropical grasslands include the hot savannas of sub-
Saharan Africa and northern Australia.

Rainfall can vary across grasslands from season to season and year to year,
ranging from 10 to 40 inches annually. Temperatures can go below freezing in
temperate grasslands to above 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
 The height of vegetation on grasslands varies with the amount of rainfall.
Some grasses might be under a foot tall, while others can grow as high as seven
feet. Their roots can extend three to six feet deep into the soil. The combination
of underground biomass with moderate rainfall—heavy rain can wash away
nutrients—tends to make grassland soils very fertile and appealing for
agricultural use. Much of the North American prairielands have been converted
into land for crops, posing threats to species that depend on those habitats, as
well as drinking water sources for people who live nearby.
Grassland plants and animals
Grasslands support a variety of species. Vegetation on the African
savannas, for example, feeds animals including zebras, wildebeest, gazelles, and
giraffes. On temperate grasslands, you might find prairie dogs, badgers, coyotes,
swift foxes, and a variety of birds. There can be up to 25 species of large plant-
eatersin a given grassland habitat, comprising a sort of buffet where different
grasses appeal to different species.
 Some grass species in these habitats include red oat grass and Rhodes
grass in tropical savannas, and purple needlegrass and galleta in temperate areas.
When rainy season arrives, many grasslands become coated with wildflowers
such as yarrow, hyssop, and milkweed. The plants on grasslands have adapted to
the drought, fires, and grazing common to that habitat.
Fires, both natural and human-caused, are important factors shaping grasslands.
In the U.S. Midwest, for example, Native Americans set fires to help maintain
grasslands for game species such as bison. Fire can also help prevent fire-
intolerant trees and shrubs from taking over while increasing the diversity of
wildflowers that support pollinators.
 Top Five
Grasslands
Grassy meadows are a great place to pause, enjoy a picnic and the benefits wide open space can
give you. They're also important habitats for lots of species including butterflies and moths and of
course wild flowers and herbs. Here's our top five grasslands:
 Rhossili and South
Gower Coast
Blanketed with grasses, bracken, gorse and
heather, the cliffs of Rhossili Down are a great
place to take in breathtaking views of the
South Gower coastline. The lowland heath
habitat that stretches down towards the rocks
at Worms Head is home to a variety of birds
and insects, as well as being rich in the area’s
archaeological heritage.
 Arnside and Silverdale,
South Cumbria and
North Lancashire
This internationally important wildlife area
boasts great views and is made up of diverse
species-rich habitats including a mosaic of
wild, undisturbed coastal grassland and
scrub. The limestone grassland and mixed
woodland of Arnside Knott is a haven for
butterflies, while The Lots in Silverdale is an
area of easy-walking grassland.
Devils’s Dyke, West
Sussex
• Explore this historic beauty spot
on the South Downs Way, named
after the huge dry valley (the
largest in the country) that carves
its way through ridges of rolling
chalk grassland. Great for bike rides,
walking and flying a kite, the area is
rich in rare and colourful wildlife
such as butterflies and orchids.
 Minchinhampton and
Rodborough Commons,
Gloucestershire
• Rodborough Common forms one of the
richest grassland systems in the country
and offers wonderful panoramic views
across the Severn Vale. Its flower-rich
limestone grassland supports a variety
of wildlife and attracts rare butterflies,
such as the Adonis blue. Nearby, on the
Cotswold escarpment, Minchinhampton
Common is a great place to take a
bracing walk or fly a kite.
 Murlough National
Nature Reserve,
Northern Ireland
• Fringing one of Northern Ireland’s most
popular beaches, Murlough National
Nature Reserve’s ancient dune,
grassland, heath and woodland habitats
are home to a huge range of wildlife.
Explore the area via a network of paths
and boardwalks and in summer look out
for an array of butterflies and
wildflowers in the herb-rich grassland.