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We just got done studying forest biomes
Now we will move on to focusing on
biomes that have less precipitation
These are the grassland biomes because
there isn’t enough water to support tree
growth
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What happens if you cut off the tops of
trees?
What happens if you cut off the tops of
grasses?
Which do you think requires more
water?
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Vegetation consisting of typically short,
woody plants with long narrow leaves
that grow vertically and rhizomes.
Other plants that grow in grasslands are
shrubs, some trees (depending on water
supply), and small soft plants (as
opposed to woody) called forbs
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The three types of grassland
biomes are:
1.
2.
3.
Tropical grasslands (savanna,
serengeti)
Temperate Grasslands (prairies,
plains, steppes, etc)
Mediterranean grasslands (chaparral)
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Savannas are located in tropical and
around tropical areas
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Again – tropical?
So what do we know about the
temperature or savannas?
Savannas are hot and near or on the
equator
What other biomes would savannas be
near?
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Savannas have two defined seasons: the
wet and dry season
Wet season is defined by drenching
rains for months at a time
The dry season can be devoid of rain for
months at a time
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During the dry season, fires sweep across the
grasslands
This takes nutrients from the plants and puts
them in to the soil
During the rainy season much of the
nutrients are stored in plants
In the dry season, fire returns the
nutrients to the soil.
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Which month is the
hottest? Temp?
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Which month(s) are the
coldest? Temp?
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June, July, Aug, Sept; 16
What is the range of
temperatures?
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March; 21°C
About 5°C
Which month(s) make up
the dry season?
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June, July, Aug, Sept, Oct
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Plants must be able to survive long
periods of no water during the dry
season
Plants have adapted to the dry season
by having large root systems with
rhizomes
Rhizomes are continuously growing
horizontal UNDERGROUND stems that
put out lateral shoots at intervals.
 Grasses grow not from the top but from the
ground!
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The root systems also allow the plants
to regrow quickly after fires
The roots and rhizomes are deep
enough to not get burned in the fire and
the plants can grow again
The root systems are thick and form a
sod – a dense material that helps hold
precious soil and moisture in place.
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The grass stems grow vertically, which
exposes them to less sunlight and allows all
neighbors to get sunlight
Some trees lose their leaves during the dry
season to conserve water
Grasses are woody, which is hard to eat
Many plants also have sharp thorns to keep
herbivores and omnivores from eating them
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Plants grow at differing heights (short medium
and tall) to avoid being eaten.
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Many herbivores migrate, or move,
with the rains
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This way they are moving where
plants are growing that they can eat
They give birth during the rainy
season, so that young will have
plenty to eat
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Herbivores are also adapted to the
environment because they eat
different heights of plants
Gazelle and Zebra graze on the grass
 Rhinos eat shrubs
 Giraffes eat tall tree leaves
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This adaptation allows all herbivores
to live in the savanna with limited
competition for food
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Grazing animals, such as bison or giraffes,
have special adaptations:
• Have broad, flat teeth to crush the
woody grasses
• Ungulates are herbivore mammals with
hooves which allow them to travel far for
food and run when predators come.
• Ruminants – have special bacteria in
their gut to start digestion, regurgitate
partially digested cud to reprocess
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Grazing animals MIGRATE , following the
growing grass (following the rains!)
Small animals may not migrate but may,
instead, burrow into the ground for
protection from predators, food storage, and
possibly a way to survive the seasonal fires.
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Carnivores, like lions
and hyenas, follow the
migratory herbivores
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Climate: Hot and only rainy during rainy
season
Soil: Nutrients in plants in rainy season, fires
return nutrients to soil in dry season
Plants: Roots are shallow enough to collect
lots of water, but deep enough to regrow
plants after fires
Animals: Move with the rains to find plants;
eat at different levels of the vegetations (short,
medium, high)
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Use at least 6 of the organisms in the
next picture for a FOOD WEB
Give the ADAPTATIONS each of these
animals has to live in the Savanna
BONUS: give at least 2 examples of
COEVOLUTION.
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Let’s break it down:
 Temperate:
Where have we heard
that before?
 Grasslands: Receive less
precipitation than forests, so grass
is the dominant vegetation
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Hotter, drier summers than temperate
deciduous forests, but similar winters
Usually located in the center of a continent
where mountains, etc. keep it from getting a
lot of precipitation
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Let’s go to view some smart dudes talking
about this!
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In the US they’re called the
plains or prairies
In Asia, they’re called steppes
In South America, they’re
called pampas
In South Africa, they’re called
veldt
Puszta in Hungary (Europe)
The list goes on…
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There are three different types of
temperate grasslands:
1. Short grass prairies
2. Mixed or middle grass prairies
3. Tall grass prairie (may have a few
trees)
Each depends on the amount of precipitation
Wetter = taller grasses
Drier = shorter grasses
Roots are different for each but still have
rhizomes and make sod
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Drought and fire keep trees from taking
over the grassland
Also, animals graze off the tops – trees
can’t live through that.
Fire burns down the plants and returns
nutrients to the soil, which allows new
growth – just like in savanna
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The temperate grassland has the most fertile
soil of all the biomes
 How does it get that way?
 From dead and decaying organic matter,
like from roots and leaves.
 Unlike the tropical rainforest, it doesn’t
get sucked right back out!!
This has resulted in much of the temperate
grassland being turned into farm land
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Grazing animals - see savanna notes
Smaller animals burrow in to the ground
for protection from fire, wind and predators
– just like savanna
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Temperate Grassland has the richest soil of
ANY biome. Makes it natural farmland. This
is not good for the ecosystem:
Farming- the plants being grown do not hold
the soil together and there is soil erosion
Overgrazing- Animals are eating the grasses
before they can regrow
Decrease of Biodiversity- less grassland means
that there are less animals that can survive
there
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Chaparral- A temperate shrub-land
biome
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Has the least rain of the grassland biomes,
but still more precipitation than a desert
What is the picture below and where is
it located?
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Has what is called a Mediterranean
Climate
 It is the predominant biome
around the Mediterranean Sea
between Europe and Africa
Climate is hot and dry in the
summer
Winters are mild with some rain
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Chaparrals are found between 30
and 50 degrees North and South of
the equator
Like Temperate Rainforest, is on a
coast. Usually, a west one. Not
quite as far from equator, though.
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Which month is the
warmest? What is the
temp?
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Which months have
less than 5 cm of rain?
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Aug; 19°C
April, May, June, July,
Aug, Sept, Oct
What is the range of
temps in this biome?
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About 9°C
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Most plants are shrubs or small trees
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Not enough water for larger trees
Plants have small leathery leaves that
help retain water
Think of a sponge wrapped in plastic wrap
or open to the air
 Grapes, olives… what do these areas
produce?
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Because the temperatures are so
hot and the land is so dry:
 Plant
seeds have become adapted
to only sprout when there is a fire
 Plants have oils in their leaves that
help them burn more quickly
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Animals of the chaparral, such
as kangaroos and wild dogs
use camouflage to hide from
predators or sneak up on prey
They also have to
accommodate the temperature
The Black-Tailed Jack rabbit
also uses it’s large ears to
regulate it’s body temp. The
kangaroo licks its arms!
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The biggest threat to the Chaparral
is human development
The Chaparral is usually by the
ocean, has little rain and has
moderate temps
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All things that make for a great
vacation spot