Gourt > Science > Biology > Ecology > Ecosystems > Grasslands, Prairies and Steppes (1)
A grassland is a generally open and continuous, fairly flat area of grass. Grasslands are often located between temperate forests at high latitudes and deserts at subtropical latitudes. Grasses vary in size from 2.1 m (7 ft) tall with roots extending down into the soil 1.8 m (6 ft), to the short grasses only a few millimetres tall.
Grasslands receive about 500 to 900 mm of rain per year compared to deserts, which receive less than 300 mm and tropical forests, which receive more than 2,000 mm. While temperatures are often extreme in some grasslands, the average temperatures are about -20°C to 30°C. Tropical grasslands have dry and wet seasons that remain warm all the time. Temperate grasslands have cold winters and warm summers with some rain.
The grasses die back to their roots annually and the soil and the sod protect the roots and the new buds from the cold of winter or dry conditions. A few trees may be found in this biome along the streams, but not many due to the lack of rainfall. Fires, natural and human-caused, are important in the maintenance of many grasslands.
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EurekAlert! - Biology
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Fri, 05 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0400
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British Columbia Grasslands Conservation Council - A link between British Columbia and other grassland related programs in Canada, the United States, and the world.
Conversion of arid grasslands to desert shrubland by grazing - Photo essay illustrates the evolution of Mojave and Colorado River native grasslands to desert due to grazing.
Meta Description: [ Mojave and Colorado River arid
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Database of Flower-Visiting Insects - A database of insects species that visit prairie wildflowers in Illinois and the Midwest.
Effects of ozone on grassland plant diversity - Research conducted by the Air Pollution / Climate Research Group on the effects of ozone (air pollutant) on the biodiversity of grassland
Meta Description: [ JLU Gießen, HRZ, Webserver, Administration, redirect-biostress2 ]
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Meta Description: [ Save the Kasota Prairie home page. ]
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Meta Description: [ Information about the Konza
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Northern Prairie Biological Resources - Plants and animals of the U.S. northern Great Plains. Species identification, population declines, searchable by type, taxon, or geography.
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Tallgrass Ontario - This action oriented network of organizations and individuals seeks to identify, conserve, manage and restore tallgrass prairie, savanna and related ecological communities in Ontario, Canada.
Tussock Grassland Management Information System - Information about the ecology and management of the tussock grasslands of New Zealand.
Meta Description: [ Ecology and management information for the tussock grasslands of the South Island high country of New Zealand ]
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