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Grasslands By Bekah Heiland Fall 2009
Introduction Welcome to the Grassland biome. This is a very amazing biome because it contains such huge differences in location, climate and wildlife. In one part of the biome you will see the tall green grass of the Savanna, scattered trees, and wildlife such as an ostrich, gazelle, elephants or lions. Traveling to the Arctic Tundra you might see tall mountains possibly covered in snow, with snowy owls, ermine or musk ox as inhabitants. There is also one other part of the Grassland, the Temperate Grassland. The Temperate Grassland is known as the dominant vegetation which means plants grow very well there and the soil is rich. There are farms, crops, and towns. There are no trees or shrubs in the Temperate Grassland. Some animals that live in the Temperate Grassland include prairie dogs, bison, and jack rabbits. The Grassland biome is exciting because of the many variations in one biome. I am an explorer so come along with me you will learn about the Grasslands on my journey.
Geographical Characteristics Grasslands are located in Africa, Australia, North & South America, India, Europe, and Asia. The ground cover can range from snow covered mountains to low shrubs and grass. Many grasslands were made from ancient forests declining and becoming as we know, Grassland. Grasslands can vary but there are usually trees unless you are in the Tundra or Temperate Grassland. There are no trees in the Tundra or Temperate Grassland. There are scattered trees in the Savanna though. Large animals such as elephants can turn a forest into a grassland by stripping the bark from the trees, knocking over trees, and tramping on tree seedlings. Grasses are also the most important plant life in the Savanna. Some grasses can grow six to ten feet tall!
What this biome looks like . . . • Tundra • Temperate Grassland
Climate One part of the Grassland is the Savanna. The Savanna is very hot. Sweat drips off of me as soon as I arrive! The temperature can climb to over 100° F, which is blistering! The precipitation range is from 20-35” a year. Since the precipitation is so low, fires often occur. You might think that there wouldn’t be much grass if there are many fires but grass roots underground stay safe and grow back quickly. One reason why Savannas are so dry is because moisture from the Pacific Ocean is blocked by mountains. The Arctic Tundra is another part of the Grassland. The Arctic Tundra’s temperature in winter usually is -30° to -20° F. Brrrrr! I would be as frozen as an icicle in no time if I wasn’t prepared and dressed properly! The tundra is a cold and treeless place. In summer the sun shines almost 24 hours a day which is why it is known as “the land of the midnight sun”. In the tundra, the summer only lasts six to ten weeks. The Temperate Grassland is the third part of the Grasslands. Temperature here can be well over 100° F in the summer while winters can be -40° F. The precipitation in the Temperate Grassland is about 20-35 inches in a year.
Whenever I am on an adventure I carry food and supplies with me but the food always seems to runs out. So- Ouch! Oh, that was an ostrich. For some reason they love pecking my neck! In the Savanna I am hunting ostrich these days. I’m going to tell you right now, they are fast! Ostrich have long legs and gigantic, strong necks. Oh, and they also have a sharp beak! A few more animals I will be hunting for food are the zebra, giraffe, and gazelle. There are many more but I have the best chance of catching these three! When I’m in the Tundra I like to survive on a diet of the arctic fox and squirrels. They are white in color so they camouflage in with the snow and they are hard to see and hunt. They look exactly like a regular fox but are white instead of red and orange. Some other animals that live in the Tundra are wolves, polar bears, arctic hares, and ermine. When I’m living in the Temperate Grassland I survive on prairie dogs. They have short legs and round heads and they move very quickly. Oh! There goes one right now. I’m too late, the little critter already went underground. A couple more animals here are the bison, rhinoceros, wild horse, jack rabbit, deer, and skunk. And again I only named a few. Wait, I almost forgot something extremely important…water! Water is what keeps me alive so I have loads of water in my camp. So as long as I have hunting supplies, food and water I’m good! What I Eat To Survive
How Difficult It Is To Survive In The Grassland Sometimes it is very difficult for me to live in the Grassland Biome because I always have to make sure I am wearing the proper clothing. I have to do this because I don’t want to be in the Arctic Tundra in shorts and a tank top. I would get very sick if I did that and I would risk hypothermia. I also worry that my camp area doesn’t get ruined. This is because if it did get ruined I would have no where to sleep. It could get ruined from rain, wind, or even animals. The temperature is extremely different because in Connecticut (where I live when not exploring) it is cold in winter, hot in summer, and warm in fall and spring.
Survival (contd.) In the Savanna the temperature can be well over 100° F which is excruciatingly hot. In the Arctic Tundra the temperature can be – 40 ° F. In the Temperate Grassland it can be – 40 ° F in the winter and it can be over 100° F in the summer. One bad thing is sometimes it gets a little lonely and the only thing to keep me company are the animals and it makes me sad and angry that I have to eat them for my survival. I wouldn’t eat the animals but if I didn’t I might starve.
How I Built My Shelter Wherever I go exploring I always bring my tent. In the Savanna I try to set my tent up under a big shady tree but I can’t do that in the Arctic Tundra or the Temperate Grassland because there are no trees. When I visit the Savanna or the Temperate Grassland I go with a professional guide because of the dangerous environment. I set up my tent and if it is cold like the Tundra I start a fire because I obviously would not start a fire in the Savanna and if it is winter in the Temperate Grassland I would start a fire but not in the summer. Then I get my field guides out from my bag to look up some specific information. When I have the facts I need, I go out and explore. I like to keep my shelter sort of hidden from everything else. I do this because I don’t want some animals to come and tear it down while I am gone. I also stay hidden because some animals are dangerous and I don’t want to wake up with a lion in my face!
I am an Explorer of the Grassland I am an explorer of the Grassland in the tall grasses of the Savanna the cold mountains of the Tundra or the trails of the Temperate Grassland I am an explorer of the Grassland I see the lions, giraffes, and the zebra of the Savanna The ermine, snowy owl, and the musk ox of the Tundra The prairie dog, bison and the jack rabbit of the Temperate Grassland I am an explorer of the Grassland Beautiful clear, blue skies of the Savanna light up the fields A thin blanket of snow frosts the mountains of the Tundra The unending hills of the Temperate Grassland Everlasting Grassland beauty. . . I am an explorer of the Grassland.
