Prairie Grasslands Views
In spite of long recurrent droughts and occasional torrential rains, the grasslands of the Great Plains are not subject to great soil erosion. The deep, interconnected root systems of prairie grasses firmly hold the soil in place and prevent run-off of soil. When a plant dies, the fungi, bacteria and the other slowly eat the roots and leaves, returning nutrients to the soil.
There are two different types of grasslands; tall-grass, which are humid and very wet, and short-grass, which are dry, with hotter summers and colder winters than the tall-grass prairie. The settlers found both on their journey west. When they crossed the Mississippi River they came into some very tall grass, some as high as 11 feet. Here it rained quite often and it was very humid. As they traveled further west and approached the Rocky Mountains, the grass became shorter. There was less rain in the summer and the winters got colder. These were the short-grass prairies.
Three major factors have influenced the prairie grasslands. Fire eliminates trees and shrubs while improving the growth of prairie wildflowers and grasses. Prairie plants have adapted to grazing by bison and other large herbivores (plant eaters) by having underground growing points that quickly sprout after being eaten. Many prairie plants can go dormant during a drought then begin growing again after the drought ends.
One fifth of the Earth's land surface is grassland. Major grasslands of the world are found in the African savannas, the Australian grasslands, the cerrado and campo of South America, the prairies of North America, and the Central Asian steppes. Grassland is a biome which is found on every continent except Antarctica. About 800 million people live in grasslands.
Prairie Grasslands Images
