Grasslands & Savan

Grasslands

Grasslands occupy about ¼ of the world's land surface.

Most impacted grassland biomes

Temperate grasslands and tropical forests are among the most impacted biomes.

Savanna

A grassland with scattered individual trees.

Savanna climate

Warm climate with rainfall concentrated in 0–8 months, followed by a long drought.

Savanna fires

Seasonal fires are common in savannas.

Where are savannas mostly found?

Mostly in Africa, South America, and Australia.

Temperate Grasslands

Grasslands where grasses are dominant and trees and large shrubs are absent.

Temperate Grassland climate

Mild to hot summers and cold winters.

Temperate Grassland soil

Dark, fertile soils.

Veldts

Temperate grasslands found in South Africa.

Pampas

Temperate grasslands found in Argentina.

Prairies

Temperate grasslands found in the United States.

Steppes

Temperate grasslands found in Central Asia.

Grazing

The feeding of livestock on grasses and other vegetation.

Sustainable grazing

Grazing that allows pastures to remain healthy, productive, and resilient.

Pastoralists

People who herd livestock such as sheep or cattle.

How can pastoralists graze sustainably?

They move herds based on rainfall and seasonal conditions.

Overgrazing

When too many animals graze an area, damaging vegetation and soil.

Overgrazing consequence

Overgrazed land can lead to desertification.

Mongolia and overgrazing

Mongolia has experienced overgrazing due to global demand for cashmere.

Why did goats cause problems in Mongolia?

Too many goats ate grasses and other plants, damaging the land.

“Cow Warfare”

The conflict over low grazing fees for cattle using U.S. public lands.

U.S. grazing fees

Fees for grazing on public lands are below market value.

Hidden subsidy

The low public-land grazing fees act as a hidden subsidy to ranchers.

Free-roaming cattle problem

Cattle eat the most tender grasses first, allowing other species to gradually dominate.

Solution to free-roaming cattle

Use movable electric fences to confine livestock to a small area temporarily.

Benefits of movable electric fences

Animals eat and fertilize the area more evenly before being moved.

Grazing-sensitive plant communities

Some plant communities, such as those in the Desert Southwest, cannot tolerate grazing.

Alternative to livestock grazing

Raise wild species such as bison in areas that cannot tolerate traditional livestock grazing.

Why can bison be useful?

Bison forage efficiently and can better fend off predators, diseases, and pests.

Forage

To search for and eat food, especially vegetation.