Grasslands and Prairies
Grasslands and PrairiesAshley GoscheyChristine ChoVince ChangVeldts, Pampas, Steppes, Puszta, and Plains
LocationEnough precipitation to support grasses (short and tall), not large trees
Combine seasonal drought, herbivore grazing, and occasional fires
Found in middle latitudes, interior of continents
Types of GrasslandsTropicalTemperate
ClimateEither have moist continental or dry subtropical climatesTemperatures and rainfall determine grass and tree growth
Average Temperatures:Winters: as low as -40 degrees F (dormant season)Summer: as high as 70 degrees F (growing season)
Average Rainfall Per Year:Temperate: 10-30 inchesTropical/Subtropical: 25-30 inchesPlant AdaptationsGrasses remain unharmed during fires, grow upward from the stem (Big Bluestem)
Colorful blossoms attract insects to pollinate (Prairie Blazing Star)
Extensive root systems allow plants to obtain water during droughts (all grasses)
Animal AdaptationsBison have flat-topped teeth and adapted digestive systems to feed on grasses
The color of coats and feathers help blend in with grasses to hide (Bobwhite Quail)
Many animals have small paws to help burrow into the ground for protection (Prairie Dogs)
Soil and Chemical CyclingGrassland soil often contains large portions of clay, retains nutrients and moisture better than clayEasily convertible to farmland
*Good vegetative cover filters out sediment, nutrients and bacteria in streams, ponds, and lakes*
Nitrogen from organic soil matter supports grasslands and the animals that graze them
Economic ValueGrasslands used to provide grazing for sheep and bisonSustaining wool and meat industry
When grasses grow too tall, they are cut:HayProducts based on cultureHuman DisturbancesConversion of grasslands to agricultureDriving out natural animals Destroying soil, causing erosion
Use of land for rearing cattleLeads to overgrazing of grasses
Animal depletion due to huntingBison meat, rodent fur
*Only 1% of grasslands are protected today*
CheetahAcinonyx jubatus
Key CharacteristicsIsolated populations found in Africa and Southwestern Asia (Namibia, Iran, India, Pakistan) disperse
Vast expanses of land: semi-desert, prairie, thick brush, grasslands, savannas, mountainous terrain
Trades speed for strength and hunts during the day to avoid contact with more nocturnal predators
Prefer to eat small ungulates: Thompson's gazelle, Grant's gazelle, impala, rabbits
Distribution of CheetahManda National Park, Chad*Key CharacteristicsMales and females only get together to breed males live and hunt in coalitions, females solitarySeek out areas with many elevated points to look for prey from
Causes of EndangermentExcessive hunting for their skinsSeverely inbred because of a plague that swept across Africa in last Ice Age over 10,000 years ago Low recovery rate and unable to mutate to produce more genetically stable population Lions kill adult cheetahs if caught and kill cubs when found hidden in grass Lions and hyenas steal cheetah's kills Level of EndangermentOn Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES)Have decreased from 100,000 in 1900 to as low as 12,000 to 15,000 in 1995A decline of nearly 90% over the centuryHave become extinct in 13 countries over the last 50 yearsEstimated present global population is less than 15,000Conclusion SlideInterspecific competition helps regulate the population and maintain and ecological balanceDecline factors manageable if the resources are made availableManagement techniques: reducing livestock losses, proper maintenance of fencing, stocking native game species, manage overgrazing, trapped animals re-released
July 1, 1975175 (80) Countries
ProvisionsAppendix I Threatened with extinctionTrade of wild-caught illegalArticle II Threatened withextinction by tradingSubject to strict regulation with permitArticle III Not globally threatenedExports allowed by permit
EnforcementCITES offices in all countriesNational laws prohibiting CITES-violating tradeAfter Secretariat investigation, suspension from CITESSuspension of CITES related tradeChangesGaborone Amendment of 1983Allow regional economic blocs to join treatyTrade with non-member states allowedReservations member says it will not be boundApplicationCheetah is Appendix I speciesReservations from certain countriesVarying amounts of export quotasBotswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe
Works Citedhttp://www.marietta.edu/~biol/biomes/grasses.htmhttp://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/exhibits/biomes/grasslands.phphttp://www.cites.org/http://library.thinkquest.org/26634/grass/impact.htmhttp://www.lioncrusher.com/animal.asp?animal=44http://www.marietta.edu/~biol/biomes/grass.htmhttp://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Acinonyx_jubatus.html