Steppe and Prairie
Biome
Blake Toombs
Dominique Tines
What is a steppe and prairie
• A steppe is Russian for “grassy plain”
• A prairie is a large area of flat or rolling,
predominantly treeless grassland,
especially the large tract or plain of central
North America.
Characteristics of steppe and
prairie
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Dry
Mostly animal population little human
Climate change varies
About one fifth of the Earth's land once
had a cover of grass
Major Abiotic Factors
• Soil- 3’ down is neutral to basic ph, very
fertile, has to be rich in minerals because
rain fall is inadequate
• very little water
• Wind
Major Biotic Factors
• Animals- oxen, bison, antelope, coyote,
prairie dog, mule deer many burrowing
mammals such as ground squirrels and
ferrets.
• Plants- few trees mostly on hill sides,
prairie grass, tumbleweed, Rhubarb,
sweet vernal, fringed sagebrush .
Animal adaptations
• Many have become fast runners to escape
from predators (bison, antelope)
• Prairie dogs burrow underground
1.
Fire
• Can help by help new seeds to grow
• Woody plants are hurt because most of
their mass is above ground, so they are
destroyed
Climate
• Summers are very hot
• Winters are very cold
Where they are located
Two types of steppes
• Temperate found in the continental areas.
• Subtropical Steppe in some of the driest
areas
FOOD WEB
Human Influence
• Get lots of foods from steppe and prairie
(breads, cereals and other grains)
• Many animals have been replaced
because of humans demand for space and
food
Works Cited
Info.
• www.worldbiomes.com
• www.absoluteastronomy.com
• www.schools.ccps.k12.va.us
Works Cited
Pictures
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www.canadianbiodiversity.com
www.inl.gov
www.blueplanetbiomes.org
www.blossomingdesign.com
www.ucmp.berkeley.edu
www.scienceblogs.com