Temperate Grassland

• Temperate grasslands have hot summers and cold winters, while rainfall is moderate.

• In the summer temperatures can be well over 38 degrees Celsius.

• In the winter temperatures can be as low as -40 degrees Celsius.

• The annual amount of rainfall is 10 to 30 inches.

Animal adaptations

• Most temperate grasslands are inhabited by hares, mice, and other small rodents.

• Smaller rodents defend themselves from predators by living underground or by having camouflaged fur.

• Most of the larger animals stay in large, intimidating packs, or escape their predators by running.

• In the winter, rodents store food in their underground tunnels and keep out of the cold or hibernate.

• Bigger animals survive the winter by growing a thicker coat and scavenging for food.

Threats

• Poaching, overgrazing and clearing of the land for crops are the main threats.

• About 16 percent of tropical grasslands have been converted for agriculture or urban development.

• If global temperatures rise, it is predicted that some current grasslands will become desserts as rainfall patterns change.

Plant Adaptation• During a fire, while above-ground portions of grasses may perish, the root portions

survive to sprout again. • Some prairie trees have thick bark to resist fire. • Prairie shrubs readily resprout after fire. • Roots of prairie grasses extend deep into the ground to absorb as much moisture

as they can. • Extensive root systems prevent grazing animals from pulling roots out of the

ground. • Prairie grasses have narrow leaves which lose less water than broad leaves. • Grasses grow from near their base, not from tip, thus are not permanently

damaged from grazing animals or fire. • Many grasses take advantage of exposed, windy conditions and are wind

pollinated. • Soft stems enable prairie grasses to bend in the wind.

Defining Features

• There is a grassland biome on every continent except for Antarctica.

• About one quarter of the land on earth is made up of grasslands.

• Most of the fertile agricultural land in the US and Canada were originally temperate grasslands.

• Grasslands supply ¾ of the energy that the world needs

• http://library.thinkquest.org/C0113340/text/biomes/biomes.grassland.temperate.animals.html

• http://www.mbgnet.net/bioplants/adapt.html• http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=RKozAsNlymU&feature=related