Grasslands Minus the African Savanna

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Grasslands Minus the African Savanna

• Kim and Holly

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• Grasslands large, rolling terrains of grasses,
  flowers, and herbs
• Precipitation is so erratic that drought and fire
  prevent large forests from growing
• Tall grass-humid and very wet
• Short grass-dry with hot summers and cold winters
• Between 10 and 20 inches of precipitation a year
  (mostly snow)

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More on Grasslands

• Composed of a rich mix of grasses and forbs
• Climate continental climates of the middle
  latitudes mostly between 10 and 20 inches of
  precipitation a year. Much of this falls as snow,
  making a reservoir of moisture for the beginning
  of the growing season. Warm to hot summers,
  depending on latitude.

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Temperate Grasslands
http//www.radford.edu/swoodwar/CLASSES/GEOG235/b
iomes/tempgrass/tempgras.html
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A Few Common Animals

• North American Grassland Animals (Including but
  not limited to) American toad, badger, bison,
  eagles, coyote, grasshoppers, killdeer, ground
  squirrels, red foxes, shrew and skunks
• South American Grassland Animals (Including but
  not limited to) Armadillos, opossum, foxes,
  jaguars, llamas, pumas, rhea, and tapir

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Kangaroos

• Over 60 species
• Herbivores
• Most are nocturnal
• Carry their joeys in pouches located under the
  chest area
• Able to breed year round
• Prolific breeders

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• No farming of kangaroos
• Only hunted by licensed hunters in the wild
• Can be eaten. Sold to more than 55 countries.
  Considered to be one of the finest game meats.

• Can be found in the following locations
• -Australian grasslands
• -Papua New Guinea
• -Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, across the path from
  the koalas.

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Water Buffalo

• Are nocturnal.
• Weighs 1800-2600 lbs.
• Forms herds of 10-20.
• Mostly are grazers.
• Have a gestation of 300-400 days.
• First mate when 1.5 years old.

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• Fewer than 4,000 water Buffalo.
• They nurse for 6-9 months.
• Females are a little bit smaller they only by
  about 20.
• Males have crescent shaped horns that are about
  47.2 in.

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Armadillos

• Originated in South America.
• Built to dig.
• Closest relatives are sloths and anteaters
• Not very flexible due to hard bone shell on
  backs.
• Strong claws

http//www.msu.edu/nixonjos/armadillo/
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Emu

• Order Struthioniformes
• Family Casuariidae
• Genus Dromaius
• Species novaehollandiae

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• Flightless wings are 1/10th the length of the
  body
• Brown in color
• Average 5.7 feet tall and 110-120 pounds
• Largest bird inhabiting Australia
• 3 Toes

• Found on grassy plains and dry, open forests of
  Australia
• Fast runner-can reach speeds of up to 40 mph for
  short bursts. Can make strides of 9 feet. Expert
  swimmer

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An Emus Diet

• Fruit
• Flowers
• Insects
• Seeds
• Green vegetation
• LOVE catepillars
• Ingest large stones into gizzard to aid in
  grinding process
• Need water daily.

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Black-Tailed Prairie Dogs

• Scientific Name Cynomys ludoricianus
• Home grassy plains of western United States from
  Montana south to Mexico
• 4 sharp teeth
• Golden brown fur
• Powerful short legs and arms
• 4 inch tail
• About a foot tall when standing on hind legs

http//mountain-prairie.fws.gov/species/mammals/bt
prairiedog/
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Eucalyptus Trees

• the most important forest canopy species
  in Australia
• Most common trees on continent of Australia
• Able to survive poor soil, dry spells and fire
• Predators include koalas.

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Mitchell Grass 4 Types
Hoop Mitchell-50 cm tall with weeping seed heads
Curly Mitchell-50 cm tall with wavy backed seed
heads
http//www.nativeseeds.com.au/categories.asp?cID5
0c26217
Barley Mitchell-80 cm tall with barley-like seed
heads
Bull Mitchell-100 cm tall with hairy, prickly
seeds
All types found in Australia
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Buffalo Grass

• Buchloe dactyloides
• Native to the Great Plains from Montana to Mexico
• Buffalo grass produces the most uniform and
  attractive turf
• grows in small tufts or patches
• protects itself from being overgrazed by having
  its leaves so close to the ground
• found in exposed, well-drained areas
• often found growing with Blue Grama

http//www.lib.ksu.edu/wildflower/buffalograss.htm
l
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Crazy Weed

• Also known as Locoweed
• In the spring, it makes a delightful show of
  purple flowers
• any of several leguminous plants of western North
  America causing locoism in livestock
• Family Leguminosae

http//www.laspilitas.com/plants/455.htm
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More About Crazy Weed

• When eaten by horses, cattle, or sheep, causes a
  nervous disorder called loco disease
• Not all species of these genera have been found
  poisonous

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Blazing Stars

• (Liatris ligulistylis)
• Also called Gay-Feathers
• Found from southern Canada to New Mexico, at
  elevations up to 7,500 ft.
• Unbranched stems
• Heads are about an inch wide

• Can be found in rich soil such as found at the
  bases of slopes
• Sheep will consume round-headed blazing star
• A member of the sunflower family (Asteraceae)

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Blazing
Stars
http//www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/plants/wildflwr
/species/liatligu.htm
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Goldenrods

• Scientific Name Solidago sp.
• Provides for many species of insects
• Within Kansas 12 species are known with several
  varieties
• large clusters of small yellow flowers
• leaves of goldenrods are simple, lance or egg
  shaped and usually have a toothed margin
• Wheel bugs and flower crab spiders, in
  particular, like to lay in wait for prey on
  goldenrod clusters. 
• are not pollinated by insects

http//www.gpnc.org/goldenro.htm
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The End!
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Works Cited Page

• Microsoft Works Clip Art
• http//www.msu.edu/nixonjos/armadillo/
• http//mountain-prairie.fws.gov/species/mammals/bt
  prairiedog/
• http//www.answers.com/topic/water-buffalo
• http//www.nativeseeds.com.au/categories.asp?cID5
  0c26217
• http//www2.dpi.qld.gov.au/sheep/5016.html
• http//www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/kakadu/html/body_tr
  ee.html
• http//plantanswers.tamu.edu/turf/publications/buf
  falo.html

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• http//www.radford.edu/swoodwar/CLASSES/GEOG235/b
  iomes/tempgrass/tempgras.html
• http//www.lib.ksu.edu/wildflower/buffalograss.htm
  l