Grasslands

Question 1

What is the the geographical features of Mid-latitude (temperate) grasslands?

Answer 1

1. A naturally treeless ecosystem.
2. Continuous cover of grass.
3. Mostly perennial grasses (come back every year)

Question 2

What is the geography of grasslands like?

Answer 2

Grasslands are vast in extent, especially in N. America and Eurasia

Question 3

What climate types to grasslands exist in?

Answer 3

1. Steppe (short grass steppe)

2. Humid Continental (mixed and tall grass prairies)

Question 4

What are the three types of pre-settlement N. American Prairies?

Answer 4

short, mid, tall grass.

Question 5

What climatic factor is a major influence on patterns of prairie type at this broad (continental) scale?

Answer 5

Grass height varies with precipitation gradient

Question 6

Why are there grasslands in Illinois and Indiana instead of forest?

Answer 6

Because of fire

Question 7

When did the Prairie Peninsula form?

Answer 7

It formed during the Hypsithermal Period 8000-4000 bp (before present).

Question 8

What was the Hypsithermal Period like?

Answer 8

A warmer-drier period, bad for trees - good for grasses

Question 9

How was the Prairie Peninusla maintained. What stopped this?

Answer 9

Maintained by Indian burning, probably combined with buffalo grazing. This stopped when Europeans entered the picture. Fire and grazing help maintain Tall Grass Prairie like in Tropical Savannas - these disturbances kill trees and favor grass.

Question 10

Whats so important about Tall Grass Prairies?

Answer 10

They are virtually extinct. There are only 0.06% original tall grass prairies left in North America

Question 11

Whats the biggest threat to tall grass prairies?

Answer 11

Pretty much all tall grass prairie has been converted to agriculture

Question 12

Why do farmers use tall grass prairies?

Answer 12

They have the best soil for agriculture. Dark, fertile Mollisol soils developed under temperate grasslands. It is organic and nutrient rich

Question 13

What happened to tall grass prairies after 1837.

Answer 13

They were replaced by grass crops like corn and wheat and pastures and hay

Question 14

Where are tall grass prairie remnants sometimes found?

Answer 14

They are sometimes found in old cemeteries and railroads

Question 15

Out of biomes in the world, what biome is most modified by humans?

Answer 15

Of all biomes, mid-latitude (temperate) grasslands are most heavily modified by humans

Question 16

Following the cessation of Indian burning and removal of large grazers, what happened to prairies?

Answer 16

Trees grew in former tall-grass prairies