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Temperate Grasslands. By: Heidi Smith and Miranda Smart. Location. Temperate grasslands are located in North America, Eurasia, Argentina, Southern Africa, and the Australian/New Zealand South Island. Climate. The climate in the temperate grasslands are adapted to recurring drought.
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Temperate Grasslands By: Heidi Smith and Miranda Smart
Location Temperate grasslands are located in North America, Eurasia, Argentina, Southern Africa, and the Australian/New Zealand South Island.
Climate The climate in the temperate grasslands are adapted to recurring drought. Temperate grasslands appear homogenous but important structural and floristic differences have developed in response to regional and local conditions. Temperate grasslands are characterized by increasing latitude (warm to cold and moist to dry) and longitude (moist to dry and warm to cold.)
Producers Broomsedge grass Wild Cane Grassland plants can survive in both cold and dry weather conditions as grassland biomes have mostly hot summers and rainfalls; also many a time, with falling snow. The plants reserve the moisture during rainfall and snow which helps them in growing season. The plants adapt to this condition and they grow and survive accordingly.
Producers Con. Black/Red Chokeberry shrub Canada Lilly Monkeyflower
Consumers Bighorn sheep Caracal African elephants
The African wild dog is an endangered animal residing in central sub-Saharan Africa. The size of a small German shepherd, the African wild dog possesses rounded, rather than pointy ears and mottled or spotty coats that range in color from beige to black. Kids' Planet places the population of African wild dogs at between 2,000 and 5,000, with many in captivity. Population losses for the African wild dog come from reduction in habitat size and infectious poisoning by humans. African Wild Dog
According to Bird Life International, the majority (95 percent) of the northern bald ibis's population is centered in Morocco. Identifiable by its long and spiky ruff, the northern bald ibis is a quiet, mostly-black bird with a red, featherless face and head. Bird Life International placed the bird on its "critically endangered" list, meaning extinction is practically inevitable for the bird if there is no intervention to save it. In fact, Bird Life International estimates the 2010 northern bald ibis population to be 210. Northern Bald Ibis
Human impact Large areas of grassland have been turned into farmlands for growing crops and for rearing cattle. A large number of animals have been hunted for their valuable body parts. For example, elephants were shot for their tusks, lions were killed for their fur and bison were hunted for their meats.
Actions to protect the Grasslands To protect the grasslands, humans can promote ecotourism to show the true beauty of the nature instead of the farmlands. One thing government officials have done is enacted laws against the hunting of endangered animals. In particular, the U.S. National Parks Service has preserved land to foster the American bison population. While poaching still exists in many areas, there are efforts to stop it.
Bibliography http://thewebsiteofeverything.com/habitats/Temperate_Grassland.html http://library.thinkquest.org/26634/grass/Temperate/animal.htm http://www.buzzle.com/articles/grassland-plants.html http://www.ehow.com/list_7313699_endangered-animals-temperate-grasslands.html http://library.thinkquest.org/26634/grass/impact.htm http://www.ehow.com/info_8291053_impacts-humans-grassland-biomes.html