Grasslands are areas dominated by grasses that cover 40% of the Earth's surface. A grassland ecosystem consists of primarily grasses as well as animals and microorganisms. The two main types are tropical grasslands near the equator and temperate grasslands at higher latitudes. Tropical grasslands have taller, coarser grasses and scattered trees while temperate grasslands have shorter, softer grasses. Grasslands support a variety of plant and animal life as producers, primary consumers, and higher-level consumers and decomposers. Threats include conversion to agriculture, urban development, and climate change, so conservation efforts focus on education, wetland protection, crop rotation, and controlled burning.

1. Grassland
Ecosystem
By, Akhil Roy Palappilli

2. WHAT IS GRASSLAND?
 Grasslands are areas where the vegetation is dominated
by grasses.
 Grasslands cover around 40 percent of the earth's
surface, and they exist in both temperate and tropical
regions.
 Grasslands occur naturally on all continents except
Antarctica.

3. WHAT IS GRASSLAND ECO-SYSTEM?
A grassland ecosystem is the collection of plants mainly
grass, animals and micro-organisms that live within an
environment where grasses are the primary form of
vegetation with various other biotic and abiotic
components.

4. TYPES OF GRASSLAND
There are mainly two types of grassland:
• Tropical Grassland: These are located near the equator,
between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn.
They cover much of Africa as well as large areas of Australia,
South America, and India. Tropical grasslands are grassland
terrestrial biomes located in semi-arid to semi-humid climate
regions of subtropical and tropical latitudes.
• Temperate Grassland: These are a division of a larger
biome grouping of grasslands that includes tropical
savannas. Both biome types are characterized by a
dominance of grasses, yet temperate grasslands differ
significantly from savannas.

5. DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TEMPRATE AND
TROPICAL GRASSLAND
Temperate Grassland Tropical Grassland
Located in the temperate latitude Located in the tropical latitude
Grass is very short, soft, juicy and
nutritive
The grass is tall (3m) coarse and
spiky which is neither juicy nor
nutritive and there are scattered
deciduous trees
They have treeless plains as
rainfall is less
Soil is not very fertile
Soil is very fertile Very dry climate

6. BIOTIC COMPONENTS OF GRASSLAND
ECOSYSTEM
• Producer Organisms: In grassland, producers are mainly grasses;
though, a few herbs and shrubs also contribute to primary
production of biomass.
• Consumers : In grassland, consumers are of three main types:
1. Primary Consumers : The primary consumers are herbivores
feeding directly on grasses.
2. Secondary Consumers: These are carnivores that feed on
primary consumers (Herbivores).
3. Tertiary Consumers: These include hawks etc. which feed on
secondary consumers.
• Decomposers: These include wide variety of saprotrophic micro-
organism like: Bacteria, Fungi, Actinomycetes.

7. A-BIOTIC COMPONENTS OF GRASSLAND
ECOSYSTEM
• These include basic inorganic and organic
compounds present in the soil and aerial
environment.
• The essential elements like C, H, N, O, P, S
etc. are supplied by water, nitrogen, nitrates,
sulphates, phosphates present in soil and
atmosphere.

8. IMPORTANCE OF GRASSLAND ECOSYSTEM
• Grasslands are of vital importance for raising livestock
for human consumption and for milk and other dairy
products.
• Grasslands provided home to many different animals
that were hunted and domesticated.
• They are used as grazing area for cattle of Ruler
Community
• They Maintain Biodiversity.
• Protects restored habitat for many plants and animals
including peasant, ducks, songbirds and endangered
species.

9. THREATS TO GRASSLAND ECO-SYSTEM
• Continued global warming could turn current marginal
grasslands into deserts as rainfall patterns change.
• Land once incompatible with row-crop agriculture, but
which provided a living to ranching families and habitat
for prairie wildlife, is being converted to row crops.
• Development of urban areas is increasingly cutting into
grassland habitat.
• Drought-hardy, cold-resistant, and herbicide-tolerant
varieties of soybeans, wheat, and corn allow crops to
expand into native grassland.
• Where only one crop is grown, pests and disease can
spread easily, creating the need for potentially toxic
pesticides

10. HOW COULD WE CONSERVE IT?
• Continue education efforts on how to protect
the soil and prevent soil erosion.
• Protect and restore wetlands, which are an
important part of grassland ecology.
• Rotate agricultural crops to prevent the
sapping of nutrients.
• Plant trees as windbreaks.
• Conduct dry season burning to obtain fresh
growth and to restore calcium to the soil that
builds up in the dry grasses.

11. Thank You
The Wildlife and
it’s Habitat Cannot
Speak, So We Must
And We Will……..