III. Grasslands
A. Climate/Definition
1. It is an ecosystem in which there is
too much water to be a desert but not
enough to be a forest
2. Found everywhere except land that is
snow and ice covered
3. Desert-grassland boundary is the area
between the two where rain increases
and grass can grow
a. Changes in climate shift the
boundary
B. Organisms
1. Plants
a. Grasses are the most common;
not as affected by fire
1. One rye plant can be 2 m
high with 600 km of roots
b. Growth is limited by rainfall
1. Fire is close second
c. Fire replenishes nutrients
allowing new growth to occur
2. Animals
a. Mostly grazing and burrowing
animals
b. Very important to the health of
the grasses
C. Effects of Climate
1. Dry areas have thin leaved grasses,
wetter have large, thick coarse leaves
2. Grasslands have rainy and drought
seasons
3. Humans cultivate and often make
irrigation means
a. Changing many of grasslands
drastically