prairie grasslands biome by grace t., elise l., audrey, marlena

Prairie Grasslands Biome By Grace T., Elise L., Audrey, Marlena

Geographers Project By Grace Tavi

Grasslands Location Source; Google ImagesGoogle Images

Description of Biome Locations This biome is located in several continents, it can be found in; Australia, Asia, and North and South America. Each of these places can differ in climate, but all are mostly dry and filled with biotic and abiotic features. The land is known for being flat, and although it provides rich and plentiful grass for eating, it does not provide shelter from predators. It has some of the richest soils in the world. FACTS OF EACH CONTINENT: Australia; covers more than 247 acres, it is on of the only large scale nature areas that exist today. Asia; Eurasian grasslands are home to strange creatures like przwalskis horses, which are now only found in zoos now, and saiga, who are able to survive because of their durance of drought. North America; less than 8% of all grasslands are protected, but temperate grasslands are lowest at les than 1% which includes the North American Great Plains. South America; Grasslands are transitional biomes, found I between deserts and forests. The dominate grassland I South America are the Llanos. Main source; LINK-North America ad AustraliaLINK South Americas LINKLINK Asia LINKLINK

Description of Physical Landscape The landscape is flat, covered mainly in grasses of various kinds. the soil is dry, and water is a valued resource. Here, there are few hills, but dry plants grow, filling the landscape. Many bugs live here, hiding among the grass, or under a rock. The temperature is relatively hot here, and even though this biome is grass filled, there are multiple types of trees and flower species, also. Animals here are not fully protected from predators, evening up the animal life with similar biomes. Source; Google Images, I used the images to describe the landscape, as well as the sources used in future and previous links.Google Images

Human Influences The most important negative impact is the growth of human populations, because of the flat, low prep land of the prairie grasslands, it makes for an easy settlement. This is dangerous for many reasons, the animals leave because humans are a huge threat to their survival. Another reason they may leave, is human farming. Due to farming, we have livestock, and the wild animals and the tame ones compete over the food sources, and humans will consider wild animals as pests, and shoot them, or spare them in the confidence that they will move away, perhaps adapt to a new biome, or to compete for another animals food at different parts of the land. Hunting is a major problem, particularly for the American Bison, that were almost extinct during the period where they were hunted by Europeans. They were attracted by the meat and the fur. Poachers also hunt elephants and Rhinos in this area. As humans influence global warming, it causes the grasslands to become particularly vulnerable. Ecological succession (where the ecosystem of an area develops into another) is caused by climate change, changing temperatures, weather patterns, and water availability can change an area of grasslands forever. Since Prairies are dry, plants are susceptible to wildfires, and although they are an act of nature, and help to replenish the land, they tend to happen more often at places where humans inhabit, especially in dry months. Even though we do a great deal of bad, we also do some to help. National Parks have been built to preserve and protect grasslands, and some associations replant depleted areas. Laws are placed to outlaw hunting of endangered species, (in particular, the US National Parks Service has protected the American Bison population), and even though there is poaching, governments around the world try to stop it. Source: http://classroom.synonym.com/impacts-humans-grassland-biomes- 2594.html

Extra Information Endangered Animals of the Grasslands Black footed ferrets Prairie dogs Information on them Black footed ferrets are extremely endangered, they fed on prairie dogs, and they dropped as did the population of prairie dogs. Prairie dogs were considered pests because of their burrowing, and their tendency to carry diseases such as the bubonic plague.

Prairie Meteorology By Elise Liddell

Weather Climate The difference in climate from winter to summer is very big. The average summer weather is 100 Degrees Fahrenheit(37.8 Degrees Celsius). Hot weather causes fires that dont burn plants but the fires could still hurt animals.

Precipitation Precipitation happens most in the month of June and least in the month of March. Grasslands get about 25-60 inches of rain a year.

Humidity The climate is in a mid-latitude zone. It is called a category "B, with a "Bs" subtype climate on the Kppen classification system. The prairiess have a large latitude range, from 55 North to 30 South.

Air Pressure Air pressure is made by climate

Wind Velocity Prairies get winds between an average of 4-5 miles an hour greater than the U.S. average. March and April are the windiest months. There are winds below an average of 11 miles an hour

Meteorolgist sources North American Prairie - Blue Planet Biomes North American Prairie - Blue Planet Biomes Grasslands Biome - Blue Planet Biomes Grasslands Biome - Blue Planet Biomes World Biomes: Grassland - KDE Santa Barbara World Biomes: Grassland - KDE Santa Barbara http://es.allmetsat.com/clima/colombia-britanico.php?code=71940 http://es.allmetsat.com/clima/colombia-britanico.php?code=71940 http://opatpatt.com/grasslands-wind-patterns/ http://opatpatt.com/grasslands-wind-patterns/

Grassland Plants By: Audrey

This is the Blazing Star. It has purple spikes, it usually grows to five feet in height. The Blazing Star resembles something like the Thistle and grows well in full sun. https://www.directgardening.com/493-bulbs/6213-blazing-stars- liatris#/quantity-40

This flower is the Shooting Star. The petals on the Shooting Star grow backwards and up, away from center of the flower. http://www.blm.gov/or/resources/recreation/tablerock/table-rock-plants- chaparral.php

Another plant is the Spiderwort. These flowers only remain open for a day, blooming in the morning and closing at night. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Spiderwort_%28Tradescantia_virgin iana%29,_Roundhay_Park.jpg

One of the plants on the grassland prairies is the Rattlesnake Master. The Rattlesnake Master is part of the yucca family. http://www.prairiehaven.com/?p=3684

Another plant is Culvers Root. Culvers Root is usually five feet tall and has no branches until you get to where the flowers are. https://www.minnesotawildflowers.info/page/glossary

One plant is the New England Aster. Its color can range from lavender to blue and white. http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/indexmag.html?http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/artdec03/bjaster.html

This is the Compass Plant. These plants can grown to be eight feet tall! http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/prairie/plantx/compassx.htm

One plant that I found is the Wild Bergamot. Its leaves are commonly used to make mint tea, also the oil from the leaves can be used to treat respiratory ailments. https://www.minnesotawildflowers.info/flower/wild-bergamot

This plant is the Stiff Goldenrod. This plant attracts bees and butterflies. http://grownative.org/native-plant-info/seedling-identification/stiff-goldenrod/

This is Mountain Mint. It attracts bees, butterflies, wasps, and moths! http://www.abnativeplants.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/plants.plantDetail/plant_id/72/index.htm

Adaptations The growing point of most prairie plants is underground so if there is a fire and it gets destroyed it can re-grow. Many prairie plants have roots that grow very far into the ground to absorb more moisture in case of a drought. Brightly colored flowers attract pollinators such as bees.

Adaptations Native Prairie plants grow in clumps.

Soil When a fire breaks out in the prairie the ashes from other dead plants get returned to the soil and returning nutrients that the other plants need. There are 3 main types of soil in the grassland prairies there is the wet soil, the mesic soil, and the dry soil. Many plants that live in the wet soil need the most water, then the plants in the mesic soil, and finally the plants in the dry soil need the least amount of water. The grassland prairies are very fertile and thats why so many plants live there.

Sunlight When fire erupts in the prairie and the tall grasses die, it gives the sun to hit the black soil and start growing more grass. There is so much grass that the sun doesnt get to hit the soil very often.

Climate In the winter the average temperature is 11-15 degrees Fahrenheit. In winter some of the many grasses in the prairie act like a frog in the winter, in its body a form of sugar is increased in the winter and keeps it warm and it doesnt freeze.

Sources Climate: http://wildmontana.org/blog/winter-arrives-to-montanas-prairie- wildlandshttp://wildmontana.org/blog/winter-arrives-to-montanas-prairie- wildlands Sunlight: http://www.tallgrass.org/plants/http://www.tallgrass.org/plants/ Soil: http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/prairie.htmhttp://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/prairie.htm

Animals of the Prairie The Zoologist Section by Marlena

Herbivores Bison Antelope http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_bison http://a-z-animals.com/animals/antelope/ http://prairieecologist.com/2014/01/28/ assessing-prairie-restoration-through-the -eyes-of-small-mammals-part-1/ Mice

Omnivores http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/ animals/mammals/prairie-dog/ http://carnivoraforum.com/topic/9328843 /1/ http://www.maine.gov/ifw/education/wil dlifepark/wildlife/coyote.htm Prairie Dog Coyote Swift Fox

Carnivores Badger Bald Eagle Bobcat http://owenslaterphotography.com/2013/09/10/ badgers-hunting-prairie-dogs/ http://www.silentlandscapes.com/bald-eagle http://www.cilfm.com/2015/01/12/ quinn-vetoes-bill-to-allow-bobcat-hunting-in-il/

Decomposers The dungbeetle is a decomposer on the prairie. Decomposers are very important because they eat decaying plant and animal material and then return the nutrients back into the air, water and soil. Dungbeetles have three main jobs among them, the rollers, tunnelers and dwellers. The rollers roll the balls of dung. The tunnelers then bury it by tunneling under a dung pile. The dwellers then live in the dung pile. Using and collecting the dung is good for the prairies because the nutrients from the dung helps fertilize the plants. Having it in large collections is good for this. Most things come to the plants in the prairies, as shown in the food chains, and helping fertilize the plants is important. http://www.ralphmag.org/FT/letters2.html http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/animals/dung-beetle/ http://www.nhptv.org/natureworks/nwep11b.htm

Food Chain Producer Primary ConsumerSecondary ConsumerTertiary Consumer http://www.museum.state.il.us/exhibits/s ymbols/grass.html http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/ani mals/mammals/prairie-dog/ http://gfp.sd.gov/wildlife/critters/amphibi ans-reptiles/snakes/prairie- rattlesnake.aspx http://owenslaterphotography.com/2013/0 9/10/badgers-hunting-prairie-dogs/ Grass Prairie Dog Prairie Rattlesnake Badger

Food Chain Producer Primary ConsumerSecondary ConsumerTertiary Consumer http://www.reflectiveimages.com/PrairieG rass.htm http://www.redcliffsdesertreserve.com/wil dlife/black-tailed-jackrabbit-lepus- californicus http://carnivoraforum.com/topic/9328843 /1/ http://www.maine.gov/ifw/education/wild lifepark/wildlife/coyote.htm Grass Jackrabbit Swift Fox Coyote

Biotic Factors The prairies are flat areas that have little shelter and lots of grass. Because of this, many grass eating animals that can run fast, like antelope and buffalo, live there. They have long legs and hooves to help them run fast. They also usually live in large herds. These animals living in the prairie have predators, which also live in the prairies because of their prey living there.

Abiotic Factors The grasslands are large and open with lots of grass. The animals that live there like antelope can run quickly with their long legs and hooves. This is because the prairie is large and open, meaning fast running predators as well. The soil in prairies is usually is the mollisols soils type. This soil is darker brown in color usually, and has a good amount of clay and decomposed plant and animal matter, making it very fertile. This soil grows lots of different types of grasses, which encourage grass eating animals and their predators. Clay, which has fine particles and isnt very soft will therefor make the soil type of mollisols firm. This could be good for burrowing animals in order for them to have burrows that wont cave in.

Adaptations The prairies have seasons which include cold and snowy winters. Because of this, bison and buffalo have thick, furry, well insulated coats. The white tailed jackrabbit, which lives in the prairie, turns white in winter The swift fox is much faster and smaller that other foxes for a few reasons. This will help them catch their fast running prey, running across the open prairie, and run from their predators which include the eagle and coyote. The swift fox has large ears. This could be for the fact that their main prey is prairie dogs, and they will need to hear them both about in the grass and in their burrows.

Credits http://kids.nceas.ucsb.edu/biomes/grassland.html http://kids.nceas.ucsb.edu/biomes/grassland.html http://www.enchantedlearning.com/biomes/grassland/grassland.shtml http://www.enchantedlearning.com/biomes/grassland/grassland.shtml http://outdoornebraska.ne.gov/wildlife/programs/projectwild/pdf/PPT_pdfs/Prai ries%20&%20Prairie%20Food%20Webs%20PowerPoint.pdf http://outdoornebraska.ne.gov/wildlife/programs/projectwild/pdf/PPT_pdfs/Prai ries%20&%20Prairie%20Food%20Webs%20PowerPoint.pdf http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/prairie_animal_page.htm http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/prairie_animal_page.htm http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/american- bison/?source=A-to-Z http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/american- bison/?source=A-to-Z http://fwp.mt.gov/mtoutdoors/HTML/articles/portraits/jackrabbit.htm#.VQRsEvn F-So http://fwp.mt.gov/mtoutdoors/HTML/articles/portraits/jackrabbit.htm#.VQRsEvn F-So http://www.nhptv.org/natureworks/nwep11b.htm http://www.nhptv.org/natureworks/nwep11b.htm http://plantandsoil.unl.edu/pages/informationmodule.php?idinformationmodule= 1130447032&topicorder=7&maxto=16&minto=1 http://plantandsoil.unl.edu/pages/informationmodule.php?idinformationmodule= 1130447032&topicorder=7&maxto=16&minto=1

prairie grasslands biome by grace t., elise l., audrey, marlena

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