EFFORTS BY:SAHIL SINGAL

RIDHIT SHARMARATTANRASHI

• Grasslands form a variety of different ecosystems located in different climatic conditions, ranging from near-desert conditions to patches of Shola Grasslands that occur on the hill-slopes along side the extremely moist evergreen forests in South India. In the Himalayas, there are the high cold Pastures. There are tracks of tall elephant grass in the low lying Terai belt south of the Himalayan foothills there are also Semi-Arid Grasslands in western India, parts of Central India and in the Deccan plateau.

TYPES OF GRASSLANDS

Shola Grasslands

• The Shola Grasslands consist of patches on hill-slopes that occur alongside the Shola Forests on the Western Ghats, the Nilgiri and Anamalai ranges. These form patchwprks of grassland on the slopes and forest habitats along the streams and low-lying areas .

Himalayan Pastures

• The Himalayan Pasture belt extends upto the snowline the grasslands at a lower level form patches along with coniferous or broad level forests and grassland ecosystem as vital part of their habitat. The animals migrate upto the high altitude grasslands and move down to the forest in winterswhen snow covers the grassland. These Himalayan pastures have large number of variety of grassses and herbs. The Himalayan hill-slope are covered with thousands of colourful flowering plants as well as large number of medicinal plants

Terai Grasslands• The Terai-Duar savanna and grasslands is a narrow lowland

ecoregion at the base of the Himalayas, about 25 km wide, and a continuation of the Gangetic Plain. The world's tallest grasslands are found in this ecoregion, which are the most threatened and rare worldwide

• Flora• The Terai-Duar savanna and grasslands are a mosaic of tall

riverside grasslands, savannas and evergreen and deciduous forests, depending on soil quality and the amount of rain each area receives. The grasslands of the Terai in Nepal are among the tallest in the world. Important grasses include baruwa and kans grass, which quickly establishes itself after the retreat of the monsoon waters.

• Fauna• The eco-region is habitat for a huge number of mammalian and bird

species. Notable are the large numbers of the endangered greater one-horned rhinoceros and Bengal tigers as well as Asian elephants, sloth bears, Indian leopards.Grazing animals of the grasslands include five species of deer, barasingha, sambar, chital, hog deer, muntjac, gaur and nilgai. Endangered mammals found here include the wild water buffalo and the near-endemic hispid hare.The grasslands are also home to a number of reptiles including the gharial, mugger crocodile and soft-shelled turtles. There are three near-endemic bird species including the vulnerable Manipur bush quail The 44 threatened and declining bird species of the grasslands include the Bengal florican , lesser florican, sarus crane and rufous-rumped grassbird.

Bengal FloricanBengal Tiger One-horned Rhino Elephant

Semi-Arid Grasslands

• The semiarid plains of western india, central india and the deccan plateau are covered with grassland tracts with patches of thorn forest. Severa mammals such as wolf, blackbuck, chinkara and birds such as bustards and florican are adapted to these arid conditions. The scrublands of the deccan plateau are convered with seasonal grasses and herbs on which its fauna is dependent. It teams with insects life on which the insectivorious birds feed.

Farmers who keep cattle or goat & sheperds who keep sheep are highly dependent on grasslands to supply food for their livestock. They maintain biodiversity, provide for recreational use and wildlife viewing. Grass is also used to thatch houses & farm-sheds. The thorny bushes and branches of the few trees seen in grasslands are used as main source of fuelwood.

We will lose a highly specialized ecosystem to which plants and animals adapted themselves millions of years ago. Local people would not be able to support their livestock herds. The genes of wild grasses are extremely useful for developing new crop varieties which would then be lost. New medicines which can be discovered from wild grassland plants will then become impossible.

Hence it will be a great loss to humankind.

WHAT IF THEY DISAPPEAR ??

ANIMALSTemperate grasslands have a low diversity of wildlife, but a high abundance of wildlife.

In North America the dominant grazing animals are bison and pronghorn.Rodents include POCKET GOPHERS AND PRAIRIE DOGS. Carnivores include WOLVES, SWIFT FOXES etc. Birds include SPARROWS, HAWKS, & OWLS.

INTERESTING FACTSGrasslands have more than 10 names across the world. Grasslands exist in each & every continent except Antarctica. Only 2% prairies are remaining in USA They are known as the true kingdoms of animals. Bison were once rulers of Prairies. BALD EAGLE is the most famous inhabitant of the american prairies.

• Grasslands should not be grazed and some area should be closed for grazing. It is better to collect grass for stall feeding cattle.

• A part of area in a grassland should be closed every year so that a rotational grazing pattern is established.

• Fires must be prevented and rapidly controlled.

GRASSLAND ECOSYSTEM CONSERVATION

• To protect natural undisturbed grassland ecosystems, sanctuaries and national parks must be created. They should be focused on preserving species of plants and animals.

• Open grasslands should not be created into plantations of trees as they are habitat of its specialized fauna.

• In hilly areas, proper soil and water resource management will help the grassland to return to a natural, highly productive ecosystem.

• Animals such as wolfs, chinkara and birds such as the bustard and florican have now become rare. They must be carefully protected in national parks and wildlife sanctuaries that have natural grassland habitats.

WHAT SHOULD WE DO ??

• We need to create awareness among people that grasslands are of great value. If we are all concerned about our disappearing grassland and their wonderful wildlife, government will be forced to take actions.

• Keeping grasslands alive should be a national priority.