The document discusses grasslands, defining them as ecological communities dominated by grasses with minimal tree cover, and categorizing them into tropical and temperate types. Tropical grasslands, known for their tall, coarse grass and variety of wildlife, contrast with temperate grasslands that feature shorter, nutritious grass and are more agriculturally productive. The document also highlights the adaptation strategies of animals living in these habitats, such as migration during dry seasons and surviving fires.

1. Grassland Region
By- Aamir shaikh
Roll num:-49
Seminar-II

2. Contents:-
What is grassland ?
Types of grassland
Difference between two grasslands
Animals in different grasslands
Plants in grasslands
Bibliography

3. What is grasslands ?
• Grasslands are natural ecological communities dominated
by grasses and with less than 10% natural tree or shrub
cover. They contain many grass species and an even greater
diversity of other herbs.
• There two kinds of grasslands
• Grasslands are areas where the vegetation is dominated by
grasses however sedge and rush families can also be
found. Grasslands occur naturally on all continents except
Antartica. Grasslands are found in most ecoregions of the
Earth. For example there are five terrestrial ecoregions
classifications (subdivisions) of the ecosystem which is one
of eight terrestrial ecozones of the Earth's surface

4. Types of grassland
There are two types of grassland
• Tropical grasslands
• Temperate grasslands

5. Difference two grassland
Tropical grasslands
• (i) They are located in the tropical
latitude in the interior of the continent
in the trade wind belt.
• (ii) The grass is tall (3m) coarse and
spiky which is neither juicy nor nutritive
and there are scattered deciduous
trees.
• (iii) They are known as the 'big game
country' as there is a variety of
herbivores and carnivores.
• (iv) People practice nomadic herding.
• (v) Soil is not very fertile.
• (vi) They are known as savannas in
Australia and Africa, and llanos and
Campos in S. America
Temperate grasslands
• Temperate Grasslands
• (i) They are located in the temperate
latitude in the interior of the continent
in the belt of Westerlies.
• (ii) The grass is short, soft, juicy and
nutritive. These are treeless plains as
rainfall is less.
• (iii) The prairies are known as the 'bread
baskets of the world'.
• (iv) Commercial farming and
commercial herding is carried on.
• (v) Soil is very fertile.
• (vi) They are known as prairies in N.
America, steppes in Asia, pampas in
Argentina and Downs in Australia.

6. Tropical grasslands

7. Animals live in Tropical grasslands
 Giraffes
 Zebra
 Buffaloes
 Kangaroos
 Lions
 Hyeans
 Elephants

8. Bibliography
Animals of tropical grasslands

9. Tropical grasslands animals
• Tropical Savannah: Animals
The species of animals in a savanna depends upon the geographic location of the
biome. The African savannah, the savannah with which most people are familiar, is
home to a wide variety of animals. A short list of some of those animals includes
wildebeest, warthogs, elephants, zebras, rhinos, gazelles, hyenas, cheetahs, lions,
leopards, ostrich, mousebirds, starlings, and weavers.
• Animal adaptations
During the rainy season, birds, insects, and both large and small mammals thrive in
the savannah, but the rainy season only lasts 6 to 8 months. During the dry season,
surface water from the rain is quickly absorbed into the ground because the soil is
extremely porous. Competition for water during the dry season is intense.
Consequently, most birds and many of the large mammals migrate during the dry
season in search of water. Because drought conditions are sometimes localized,
the migration may be just to another area within the savannah. When drought
conditions exist for a long time and over a wide area, the animals may migrate to
another biome until the rainy season begins again.
Page - 1

10. Tropical grasslands animals
• Although elephants do migrate, they have a physical adaptation that
allows them to access water that is not available to other animals. Baobab
trees store water in their large trunks. The elephant's physical strength
and anatomy allow it to tear open the trunk of the baobab tree and to
suck the water from it. An adaptation used by small burrowing animals is
to remain dormant during times of drought--much like bears do during the
winter in other biomes. Photos © 2000-www.arttoday.com
• During the dry season, lightning frequently ignites the brown, dry grasses
that cover the savannah. Many of the animals have adapted to living with
the fires. The ability to fly or to run fast enables most birds and large
mammals to escape the flames. Some birds, such as the Fork-tailed
Drongos, actually are attracted to the active fires. These birds feast on
fleeing or flame-roasted insects. Although small burrowing animals may
not be able to outrun the flames, they frequently survive the fire by
digging beneath the soil and remaining there until the flames pass by
them.
Page-2

11. Temperate grasslands

12. Animals lives in Temperate
grasslands
• Zebras
• White horses
• Lions
• Wolves
• Jack rabbits
• Deer

13. Animals of temperate grasslands

14. Animals in temperate grasslands
• Animals that live in temperate grasslands must
adjust to dry terrain in which just 10 to 30
inches of rain falls per year, making temperate
grasslands less diverse than the wetter
savanna grasslands. Temperate grasslands are
characterized by short grasses measuring just
a few inches in height. The grasses, upon
which many animals in the grassland biome
rely for food, thrives during the warm growing
season, going dormant during the cold winter.

15. Predators
• Big cats such as cheetahs and lions hunt prey
in temperate grasslands. In North America,
wolves, coyotes and foxes hunt for mice,
rabbits and deer. These predators help keep
populations of grazing animals in check so the
grazers do not eat all the grass and other
plants in the biome. In the Russian grasslands,
polecats, members of the weasel family, make
up some of the larger predators.

16. Grazers
• The grasslands of North America used to provide
millions of buffalo with important food resources,
but today, few buffalo remain due to hunters
killing most of them in the 1800s. Most of the
surviving buffalo are protected in state and
national parks, including Yellowstone National
Park (nps.gov). Antelope and deer use the plains
grasslands where they chomp on the short
grasses. In Africa, gazelles, zebras and rhinoceros
graze on the grass