This document provides a comprehensive overview of prairies, defining them as temperate grassland ecosystems with unique formations and types, including tall grass, mixed grass, and short grass prairies. It details their climate, diverse animal species, including endangered ones, and the ecological importance of fire in maintaining prairie biodiversity. Additionally, it highlights key facts about prairie ecosystems, such as soil fertility and the impact of human activity on native species.

1. PRAIRIES

2. INDEX
1. WHAT ARE PRAIRIES?????
2. FORMATION
3. PRAIRIES!!!(PHOTOS)
4. TYPES OF PRAIRIES!!!
5. ANIMALS FOUND IN PRAIRIES
6. ENDANGERED ANIMALS
7. ANIMALS OF PRAIRIES(PHOTOS)
8. VEGETATION OF PRAIRIES
9. CLIMATE OF PRAIRIES
10.FACTS ON PRAIRIES
11.SNAPSHOT(PHOTOS)
12.THANK YOU

3. What are
Prairies?????
Prairies are ecosystems considered part of
the temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrub
lands biome by ecologists, based on similar
temperate climates, moderate rainfall, and a
composition of grasses, herbs, and shrubs,
rather than trees, as the dominant vegetation
type. Temperate grassland regions include
the Pampas of Argentina, Brazil
and Uruguay as well as the steppes of Eurasia.
Lands typically referred to as "prairie" tend to be in North America. The term
encompasses the area referred to as the Interior Lowlands of the United
States, Canada and Mexico, which includes all of the Great Plains as well as the
wetter, somewhat hillier land to the east .In the USA the area is drained by the
tributaries of Mississippi and the Canadian Prairies is drained by the tributaries
of Rivers

4. 1. The formation of the North American Prairies started with the upwelling of
the Rocky Mountains. The mountains created a rain shadow that killed most of the
trees.
2. The parent material of most prairie soil was deposited during the last glacial
advance that began about 110,000 years ago. The glaciers expanding southward
scraped the landscape, picking up geologic material and levelling the terrain. As the
glaciers retreated about 10,000 years ago, it deposited this material in the form
of till. Wind based loess deposits also form an important parent material for prairie
soils.
3. Tall grass Prairie evolved over tens of thousands of years with the disturbances of
grazing and fire. For 10,000-20,000 years native people used fire annually as a tool
to assist in hunting, transportation and safety. Evidence of ignition sources of fire in
the tall grass prairie are overwhelmingly human as opposed to lightning . Humans,
and grazing animals, were active participants in the process of prairie formation
and the establishment of the diversity of graminoid and forbs species. Fire has the
effect on prairies of removing trees, clearing dead plant matter, and changing the
availability of certain nutrients in the soil from the ash produced. Fire kills
the vascular tissue of trees, but n biomass is below the soil surface and will re-grow
from its deep roots.
Formation

5. PRAIRIES !!!

6. TYPES OF PRAIRIES !!!
Prairie in North America is usually
split into three groups: wet, mesic, and
dry. They are generally characterized
by tall grass prairie, mixed, or short
grass prairie, depending on the quality
of soil and rainfall.
Tall Grass
Prairie
The Tall Grass Prairie lies mainly in the eastern portion of the Midwest. The
grasses here often grow to be five feet tall. The annual rain totals here
approach 30 inches.
Mixed
Grass
Prairie
The Mixed Grass Prairie lies mainly in the middle portion of the Midwest. The
grasses here often grow to be two and three feet tall. Typically, there are 15 to
25 inches of rain per year. This is the prairie where the buffalo once roamed.
Short Grass
Prairie
The Short Grass Prairie lies mainly in the western portion of the Midwest,
hugging the coast of the deserts and the Rocky Mountains into Canada. The
grasses here grow to be no more than two feet tall. There is usually little more
than ten inches of rain per year in these short grass prairies.

7. CLIMATE OF PRAIRIES
• The eco zone’s climate is determined by its location in the heart of North
America and by the neighbouring Rocky Mountains, which block moisture-
bearing winds from the Pacific. The result is a pronounced, sub humid to
semi-arid climate. Winters are very cold. The mean temperature in the coldest
month is -9.4oC at Leth bridge and -18.3oC at Winnipeg. Summers are short
and warm. Mean temperatures for the warmest month are 16.1oC at
Edmonton and 19.7oC at Winnipeg. Although dry, arctic air predominates in
winter, periodic Chinooks bring spring-like conditions to southern Alberta
and, to a lesser extent, southern Saskatchewan, reducing snow cover and
removing moisture from an already dry region .A water deficit is typical as the
eco zone receives considerably less precipitation than other parts of Canada
and the world. Annual precipitation is extremely variable, ranging from 250
mm in the arid grassland regions of southwest Saskatchewan and southeast
Alberta to slightly less than 700 mm in the Lake Manitoba plain, the warmest
and most humid region in the Prairies Eco zone. About a quarter of the
precipitation falls as snow. Summer thunderstorms are often severe, and
south-central Alberta is reputed to be one of the worst hailstorm belts in
North America.

8. ANIMALS FOUND IN PRAIRIES
The Prairies Eco zone provides habitat for many animal species. More than
half of all North American ducks are born in Prairies Eco zone wetlands.
The Prairies offer unique habitat for the Black-tailed Prairie Dog, while its
southern region is home to the Short-horned Lizard and Western Rattlesnake.
Manitoba provides habitat for Black Bear, Moose, Sharp-tailed Grouse,
Beaver, and Red Fox. Also present are various species of frog and toad. Local
fish include Walleye, Lake Whitefish, and Northern Pike.

9. ENDANGERED ANIMALS
Considering its area and population, the Prairies Eco zone has a
disproportionate number of threatened and endangered wildlife species. At
least four vertebrate species -- the Plains Grizzly, Swift Fox, Black-footed
Ferret, and Greater Prairie Chicken -- have disappeared from the area. The
Peregrine Falcon, Mountain Plover, Eskimo Curlew, Piping Plover,
Burrowing Owl, and Whooping Crane are all endangered.

10. ANIMALS OF
PRAIRIES

11. VEGETATION IN PRAIRIES
Few deciduous trees and shrubs grow in the eco zone except in the
eastern regions, sheltered locations along waterways or at upper
elevations. The east is characterized by Trembling Aspen and shrubs,
whereas the southwest displays a mixed montane-type open forest of
Lodge pole Pine. Southwest Manitoba contains a forest reserve that
occupies most of the higher elevations of Turtle Mountain.

12. FACTS ON PRAIRIES
1. The native tall grass prairie is the most endangered ecosystem in North America.
2. Prairies are made primarily of grasses, sedges, and flowering plants, with limited tree growth.
3. In one acre of established prairie, there is an average of 24,000 pounds of roots!
4. Fire is important to the development of the tall grass prairie, as it prevents invading trees and
shrubs from turning the prairie into woodland
5. Up to 60 million bison grazed on the prairies of North America when the settlers first arrived; less
than 600 remained by 1885.
6. Chinook is a hot wind that blows in winters & therefore raises the temperature in a short time
7. The grasslands of Prairies were the home of American Indians called as ‘Blackfoot Indians’.
8. When prairie roots die, they decompose to form organic matter; prairie soil is fertile soil!
9. Prairie dogs, prairie chickens, hawks, foxes, and ferrets are all native prairie wildlife.
10. Natural competition by prairie plants reduces the occurrence of weeds.

13. SNAPSHOT

14. THAN
K YOU