Biomes of the World - Grasslands
What Makes the Grassland Biome Unique?
About one quarter of the earth is covered by grasslands. This biome can be found on every continent except Antarctica. Grassland biomes are large areas of grasses, herbs and flowers. Trees have a hard time surviving in most grassland biomes cuz the soil is too fine and dry. Grassland biomes are divided into two main sections - Savannas and Temperate Grasslands. Some of the animals in Africa include zebras, elephants, giraffes and rhinos. Animals in North America include bison, pronghorn antelopes and black-footed ferrets.
Savannas
Savannas are grasslands scattered with individual trees. Savannas cover almost half of Africa and large areas of Australia, South America and India. Savannas are always found in warm or hot climates. Poaching, overgrazing and farming have all threatened the delicate ecosystems of the Savannas.
Temperate Grasslands
Not surprisingly, grass is basically the only thing that grows in Grasslands. Trees and large shrubs can't survive there. Temperate grasslands can be found in South Africa, Hungary, Argentina, Uruguay and central North America. Temperate grasslands have very cold winters and warm-to-hot summers. Strong winds blow loose soil around after plowing, especially during droughts, which cause dust storms.
Grassland Facts
- Most of the rich agricultural land in southern Canada and the US used to be grasslands.
- Grasslands in North America are called prairies, in South America they're known as the pampas and in South Africa the veldt.
- Apparently, water is so scarce in the arid regions of China that people in the grasslands never take baths and sometimes even use yak's milk to wash their faces.
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