Chapter 8Grasslands

Section 8.2

Steppes & Prairies

Steppe• Steppe- grasslands of short

bunchgrasses that get less than 50 cm of rain each year

Steppe location• Western and southwestern

edges of the grasslands

• Large areas of steppes exist within the wetter areas of the deserts of the Southwest and Great Basin

Steppe

Steppe climate• Rapid evaporation

• High temperatures & winds

• 25cm + rain per year

Steppe grasses• Short-grass prairies

• Bunchgrasses- short, fine-bladed grasses that grow in a clump

• Clumping helps save water and holds in water---roots are shallow like deserts

Prairies • Prairie- grasslands characterized

by rolling hills, plains, and sod-forming grasses

• Great Plains

• Large, fertile areas where we get most of our foods

• Breads and cereals

Prairie

Prairie climate• 50-75cm rain per year

• Rainy seasons could supply more rain

Prairie grasses• Soil can hold water well because

animals create air spaces • Roots form mats called sod• Sod-forming grasses- grasses

that form a mat of soil and roots

Prairie grasses• Humus- as the roots of the

grasses die, they form a layer of organic matter

• Humus holds moisture and provides nutrients

Steppe & Prairie• Animals-adapted by migrating,

hibernating, or burrowing underground

• Plants- adapted by using the wind for seed dispersal

Steppe & Prairie• How might animals and plants

react to colder areas of these biomes?

• How might animals and plants react to hot areas of these biomes?

Steppe & Prairie• Over-grazing occurs when

grazing animals eat too much in one place, which ruins the land

Over-grazing

Farmers• Farmers needed more grazing

animals, so they began to push out animals such as grizzly bears, bison, deer, and wolves

REVIEW!!!• How are steppes & prairies

similar?• How are steppes & prairies

different?• How does desertification occur?

Where could we see it happening in these biomes?