Location
Grasslands are located in relatively flat areas of land, such as Central North America, Middle East, and Eastern Asia
Climate
The climate in grasslands greatly vary. During the summer, it gets really hot, but during the winter, it gets really cold. This is because the grasslands are so flat, there is no form of shelter from the whether.
Biotic Factors
Native Species
Species Name: Andropogon gerardii
Common Name: Beard Grass
Description: "This grass is also called Turkey feet because the shape of the seed heads look like turkey feet. It is also called beard grass. The name big bluestem grass comes from the fact that this grass can grow to very big, 3 to 10 feet as a matter of fact. It blooms from June through September. Big bluestem is known as a bunch grass because it grows in little hill shapes. This grass forms 3 inch bronze to purple or green seed heads. The tall and slender stems are blue-green in the summer. The hairy blades, which can get to be 12 inches long and 1/2 inch wide, will get a red tinge on the leaves as they get older, and turn bronze in the fall." [34]
Common Name: Beard Grass
Description: "This grass is also called Turkey feet because the shape of the seed heads look like turkey feet. It is also called beard grass. The name big bluestem grass comes from the fact that this grass can grow to very big, 3 to 10 feet as a matter of fact. It blooms from June through September. Big bluestem is known as a bunch grass because it grows in little hill shapes. This grass forms 3 inch bronze to purple or green seed heads. The tall and slender stems are blue-green in the summer. The hairy blades, which can get to be 12 inches long and 1/2 inch wide, will get a red tinge on the leaves as they get older, and turn bronze in the fall." [34]
Species Name: Buchloe dactyloides
Common Name: Buffalo Grass
Description: "Buffalo grass is a warm-season, native, perennial shortgrass. It grows between 2 and 5 inches (5-13 cm) tall and spreads out between six feet and 12 feet (3-4 m). It has a round hollow stem with gray, green curly leaves. The leaves are 1/10 " wide and 2" long. In winter it turns tan and in the autumn it turns lavender. It is very drought resistant. In dry seasons it gets brown, and stops growing, and goes dormant. It is also heat and cold resistant. Buffalo grass has both male and female plants. The flower stalks are 4 to 8 inches (10-20 cm) tall The female seed head of buffalo grass grow in clusters of three to five hairy spikelets. The tiny clusters of yellow to golden male flower of buffalo grass grow about 2 inches (6 cm) above the blades. The burs on buffalo grass seeds don't cling to animal fur for very long and the seeds fall close to the parent plant." [35]
Common Name: Buffalo Grass
Description: "Buffalo grass is a warm-season, native, perennial shortgrass. It grows between 2 and 5 inches (5-13 cm) tall and spreads out between six feet and 12 feet (3-4 m). It has a round hollow stem with gray, green curly leaves. The leaves are 1/10 " wide and 2" long. In winter it turns tan and in the autumn it turns lavender. It is very drought resistant. In dry seasons it gets brown, and stops growing, and goes dormant. It is also heat and cold resistant. Buffalo grass has both male and female plants. The flower stalks are 4 to 8 inches (10-20 cm) tall The female seed head of buffalo grass grow in clusters of three to five hairy spikelets. The tiny clusters of yellow to golden male flower of buffalo grass grow about 2 inches (6 cm) above the blades. The burs on buffalo grass seeds don't cling to animal fur for very long and the seeds fall close to the parent plant." [35]
Species Name: Bombus bimaculatus
Common Name: Bumble bee
Description: "Bumble bees are always the traditional bee colors of black and yellow. They are covered with long thick hairs. To us bumble bees look small but for an insect they are pretty big. Queen bumble bees are about 3/5 to 1 inch long. The other types, workers and drones, are slightly smaller than that. Bumble bees live all over the United States and in every grassland you could find, but Bombus bimaculatus is native to the state of Iowa. In the summer they make their homes in abandoned underground nests of mice or other small creatures. The bumble eats some of the pollen that it carries from flower to flower on its hind legs like the honey bee." [36]
Common Name: Bumble bee
Description: "Bumble bees are always the traditional bee colors of black and yellow. They are covered with long thick hairs. To us bumble bees look small but for an insect they are pretty big. Queen bumble bees are about 3/5 to 1 inch long. The other types, workers and drones, are slightly smaller than that. Bumble bees live all over the United States and in every grassland you could find, but Bombus bimaculatus is native to the state of Iowa. In the summer they make their homes in abandoned underground nests of mice or other small creatures. The bumble eats some of the pollen that it carries from flower to flower on its hind legs like the honey bee." [36]
Species Name: Cynomys ludovicianus
Common Name: Prairie Dog
Description: "Prairie dogs are cousins to ground squirrels. They have light brown fur with lighter underparts. Their tails are kind of flat, usually with a black tip at the end. They have round heads with large eyes and tiny round ears. The adults usually weigh around 1 to 3 1/2 pounds There are two types of prairie dogs; black-tailed and white-tailed. Most common is the black-tailed prairie dog. They come out or their burrows during the day to eat. Their diets consist mostly of grasses and herbs." [37]
Common Name: Prairie Dog
Description: "Prairie dogs are cousins to ground squirrels. They have light brown fur with lighter underparts. Their tails are kind of flat, usually with a black tip at the end. They have round heads with large eyes and tiny round ears. The adults usually weigh around 1 to 3 1/2 pounds There are two types of prairie dogs; black-tailed and white-tailed. Most common is the black-tailed prairie dog. They come out or their burrows during the day to eat. Their diets consist mostly of grasses and herbs." [37]
Invasive Species
Species Name: Falcaria Vulgaris
Common Name: Sickleweed
Description: "Sickleweed, native to Europe, the Mediterranean, and Central Asia, is an invasive species in North America, especially of Great Plains rangelands. However, it is also present in the Appalachian states and has been collected in Massachusetts. Its flower petal color is white, and the leaves are simple. The Leaf arrangement is alternate. The flower symmetry is radially symmetrical. There are 5 stamen." [38]
Common Name: Sickleweed
Description: "Sickleweed, native to Europe, the Mediterranean, and Central Asia, is an invasive species in North America, especially of Great Plains rangelands. However, it is also present in the Appalachian states and has been collected in Massachusetts. Its flower petal color is white, and the leaves are simple. The Leaf arrangement is alternate. The flower symmetry is radially symmetrical. There are 5 stamen." [38]
Species Name: Aedes albopictus
Common Name: Tiger Mosquito
Description: characterized by its black and white striped legs, and small black and white striped body. It is native to the tropical and subtropical areas of Southeast Asia; however, in the past couple of decades this species has invaded many countries throughout the world through the transport of goods and increasing international travel. This mosquito has become a significant pest in many communities because it closely associates with humans (rather than living in wetlands), and typically flies and feeds in the daytime in addition to at dusk and dawn. The insect is called a tiger mosquito because its striped appearance is similar to that of a tiger.
Common Name: Tiger Mosquito
Description: characterized by its black and white striped legs, and small black and white striped body. It is native to the tropical and subtropical areas of Southeast Asia; however, in the past couple of decades this species has invaded many countries throughout the world through the transport of goods and increasing international travel. This mosquito has become a significant pest in many communities because it closely associates with humans (rather than living in wetlands), and typically flies and feeds in the daytime in addition to at dusk and dawn. The insect is called a tiger mosquito because its striped appearance is similar to that of a tiger.
Abiotic Factors
Average Yearly Precipitation: 25 to 60 inches
Average Yearly Range of Temperature: 40 F to 70 F
Primary Soil Type: Mollisols/Nutrient Right
Approximate Altitude: 250 to 750 meters above sea level
Approximate latitude: 0 to 40 o N
Average Yearly Range of Temperature: 40 F to 70 F
Primary Soil Type: Mollisols/Nutrient Right
Approximate Altitude: 250 to 750 meters above sea level
Approximate latitude: 0 to 40 o N
Human Interactions
Since the climate in the grasslands is not extreme humans tend to interact and live with and in this biome quite frequently. Humans hunt animals and eat plants that are found in this biome. Sometime humans do this in excess which then leads to extinction and disturbance to the natural harmony of the animals and plants.