Grassland Biome Characteristics

The earth is divided into different regions of vegetation, climate and animal species, such regions are termed as biomes. Each biome is a whole ecosystem in itself, with a delicate balance existing between the different living beings and the environment.

Among the different biomes, the grassland biome is of particular interest, with its diverse and abundant animal and plant species and its rate of prevalence in different areas of the Earth's surface. A grassland biome can be found on every continent, except Antarctica. In this article, learn what are some characteristics of a grassland biome.

Grasses, shrubs, herbs, small flowering plants and bushes are typical vegetation types found in a grassland biome. Very few trees or tall large plants grow in the grasslands. Forest or bush fires can also eradicate the sparse tree population.

The lack of trees is mainly due to soil type and precipitation. Trees require thick, moist soil areas to grow and flourish, whereas the grasslands have a thin, sandy soil type with little soil moisture. Also grasslands experience little rainfall, or just annual showers which is not enough to meet the water needs of larger trees.

Grasses are also suited to surviving the frequent wildfires that attack grasslands. They are low to the ground in height and grow from bottom to top. As such a fire just burns the stems off, while the root remains intact. In the grasslands, bush fires are not completely destructive.

They clear the ground cover, so other plant species can grow and add to the nutrient quantity of the soil, through the decomposition of burnt vegetation. Based on the type of vegetation, there are 2 types of grasslands:

Humid and vast is the best way to describe the tropical grassland, also known as a savanna. Grasses and small shrubs make up the vegetation, few large trees are present with sparse distribution. The best example of such grasslands is the continent of Africa, where an approximate 5 million square miles is grassland area.

Grass species found in such grasslands include Rhodes grass and red oat grass. Different grass species flourish in different areas. The typical landscape of a tropical grassland is an open, flat canopy with low lying grass and just one or two trees. Such savannas are also found in parts of South America (Llanos grasslands) and Australia.

Trees are practically non-existent in the temperate grasslands. The grass species over here are both tall-grass and short-grass varieties, with little or no shrubbery or bushes. Grass species include the purple needlegrass and blue grama among others.

These sort of grasslands have a lot of flowering grass plants, like asters, clovers and sunflowers. The soil here is nutrient packed and rich, with a thick, dark feel. Temperate grassland examples include the Veldts of South Africa, Pampas of South America and the Steppes of Asia and the prairies of North America.

What's interesting to note is that, even though they both belong to the temperate type of grasslands, there is a difference in vegetation between the Steppes and the Pampas grasslands. There is very little water available in the Steppes, the soil itself is dry and there is little or no rainfall.

So the grass grown here has deep and long roots to soak up groundwater. Some plant species have roots in the form of bulbs or tubers as storage units. The Pampas on the other hand, are very fertile and suitable for cultivation, with the dominant species being the Cortaderia selloana or the Pampas Grass.

Grasslands are characterized by less or little rainfall and a dry climate. Annual precipitation is roughly between 9.8-35 inches per year. Grasslands also have cold winters with low temperatures of - 40 degree F and hot summers reaching temperatures of 70 degrees F. Few or no plant species can grow in the cold harsh winters, due to the low temperature. The climate also varies according to location and type of grassland.

Tropical grasslands like the African Savanna are moist and very hot during the summer. This sort of drought filled and dry climate can cause forest fires. The rainy season succeeds it, with 6-8 months of moderate rainfall (between 20-60 inches). This is a time of growth and birth for plants and animals alike. Temperate grasslands have less annual precipitation than tropical, with average rainfall per year between 10-30 inches.

Rainfall occurs between late spring and early summer. The rate of precipitation is influential in the height of the different grass varieties present. A good example of this is the North American prairie, where the wetter regions have taller grass species and the dryer regions have shorter grass varieties. The Pampas of Argentina experience a lot of rainfall and hence have tall-grass species while the Steppes have short and thick grass growth, due to their cold, dry climate.

The grassland biome is surprisingly varied in its animal population in contrast to its stark and dominant grass vegetation. The African Serengeti is home to over 70 large mammal species including zebras, buffaloes and giraffes.

The North American prairie houses predators like coyotes, eagles and bobcats alongside herbivores and omnivores like the Wild Turkey, Prairie Chicken and Bison. From the above characteristics, it's easy to see how fragile the balance between nature and the land is.

Introduction of domestic cattle, farming and clearing of land for development are all human threats to the grassland biome and its existence.