...There are two types of grasslands, tropical and temperate. Tropical grasslands are warm year around and have a dry and rainy season. Temperate grasslands have an average of 10 to 30 inches of rain per year, have shorter grass, and have a growing and dormant season (Grasslands Terrain of Many Names). There are the Great Plains in the United States that cover from parts of Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Colorado, Wyoming and Montana and covers all of Kansas, Nebraska, South and North Dakota, and covers all the way up into parts of Canada. In Africa there is the African Savanna, which is a tropical grassland that covers 25 territories and South Africa. The abiotic structure of grasslands includes the climate; rainfall, temperature, wind flow, and ground moisture. The bedrock has an influence on the type of soil and what can and cannot be grown in that location, slopes and elevation, floods, fires, high temperatures and freezing temperatures are also abiotic structures. The biotic structures include any living thing in that ecosystem. Grass, rabbits, moles, elk, snakes, birds, bacteria and fungi are part of the biotic structures (tutorvista.com 2014). You cannot have one with out the other in an ecosystem. The grass needs the rain as well as the animals in order to survive. The temperatures help decide which type of animals and plant life will live in that area as well. Carbon function in the ecosystem is to be used by the plants for photosynthesis and to make organic molecules...
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...Identify impacts associated with agriculture Some time ago a quarter of earth was covered by grassland but all that changed for the reason of the loss of wildlife habitat most of the grasslands have been turned into farms. The majority of soils of the grasslands are wealthy and as a result just about approximately anything can be developed. Then again impoverished agricultural procedures can wreck soils maneuvering grasslands into unresponsively and unproductive. If the harvests are not well taken care off then as a result nutrients inside the soil are unprotected having mediocrity crops for many years. Assessed towards grassland farmlands receives insufficient wealth for the producing of offspring plus also farm animals ruin grassland. According to "Grassland Threats" (© 1996-2012 National Geographic Society. All rights reserved.), (“In United States only 5% of original grassland is still remaining.”) Grassland have several threats which are the nonstop of global warming affecting present grasslands by turning them into wasteland including the pattern changing of rainfall, city expansion are highly growing decreasing the grassland environment, having few crops growing, bugs, illness can extend without problems causing the requirement of toxic pesticides, dried plants, cold weather, wheat, and corn lets crops developed into natural prairie. Grasslands also have solutions for all its negative threats such as schools and teachers educating students more on exactly how to safe from...
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...April 13, 2015 Large open areas of grass or plants that are similar to grass are considered to be grasslands. The majority of time trees are not found in grasslands because grasslands tend to be too dry in an environment. Rainfall is the primary source of water, and the absorption occurs through the roots of the grass. The roots are extensive and yield multiple networks and modified photosynthesis. Multiplication of the grass occurs by pollen being excreted from wind or additional plants growing from the roots. During a period, grasslands accounted for over 42% of Earth. European settlers considered grasslands "prairies," which is French for "grassland." There are two main categories of grasslands which are Tropical Savannah and Temperate Grassland. These two are in areas that have hot summers and little rainfall. Africa, Australia, South America and Indonesia are where you can find Tropical Savannah Grasslands. Prairies or Steppes are other names used for Temperate Grassland. Grasslands are among the largest ecosystems in the world. Their area is estimated at fifty- two point five million. Square kilometers (Forages Information Systems, 2009). In actual practice, grassland agriculture includes the proper use of legumes as well as grasses. Grasses and legumes are used to feed livestock, support wildlife, and maintain land resources in good condition. Grasslands occupy about one- half the total land in the contiguous forty- eight states and, therefore, deserve attention...
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...Tropical Grassland (Savanna) A savannah can get so hot rounds dry up and the grass can catch fire. There will not be much food, water, or shade. If you are lucky it will rain up to 18 inches while you’re there. However if you go during the winter it won’t be freezing or hot, but it will still be dry. You won’t see many landforms but there will be dried valley’s and hills. Acacia trees are a main food source for giraffes. Leopards are one of the top predators in the Savannah. The Grass and bushes are food for the herbivores such as buffalo, wildebeest, zebras, etc. Those animals are food for other animals such as jackal, hyena, wild dogs, etc., and their food for lions, leopards, cheetahs, etc. Elephant numbers are plummeting because poachers are killing them taking their tusks and illegally selling them. Location Savannas are located north and...
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...Grassland Tonya Chaney SCI 201- 1403B-03 Professor Obenson Colorado Technical University August 20, 2014 An ecosystem is a biological community in which locale, physical, and chemical factors play a major role in the make-up of the biotic and abiotic environment. They can range from ponds, forests, estuaries, or grasslands. Some ecosystems are more complex than others depending on where they are located. Some have similar characteristics and some are different in many ways such as the abiotic and biotic components or the region it is located in. Grasslands for example have different names because of the region they are located, for example, grasslands known as prairies are located in the United States. There are two types of grasslands, temperate and tropical. Grasslands in the United States are temperate and typically found in the mid-west. The grasslands known as prairies are more useful to humans agriculturally due to them having two seasons. These grasslands get between 10 to 30 inches of rain per year which is good for vegetation purposes. That is known as a grasslands growing season. When the weather starts to get cold and dry, that is known as the grasslands dormant season which is when nothing grows and the grasses and plants start to die. Many of the grasslands in North America have been turned into farmlands. Grasslands have many abiotic and biotic components. Abiotic components are non-living things that affect the ecosystem. These components are sunlight...
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...Environmental Science Derick Stevenson AIU Online The grasslands of the world establish a major part of ecosystems in dissimilar areas of the world. The grasslands play a big part in parts of Africa, and also they have a lot of distinguishing properties. Grasslands inhabit almost all ecological regions and can be gathered into six groups. You have moderate grasslands, flooded grasslands, xeric and desert grasslands, and tropical and subtropical grasslands that can all be assembled into classes. (Webkil Designs copyright 2012) The abiotic and biotic factors of the grassland are contributory in determining the structure and purpose of the ecosystem. The different abiotic and biotic factors work differently in different types of grassland ecosystems conferring to their environmental conditions. The Abiotic and biotic factors play a main part in the existence of the grassland ecosystem. (Webkil Designs copyright 2012) The abiotic aspects of grassland basically consist of the climate. Climate is one of the most significant abiotic factors that form the ecosystem and includes rainfall, temperature, wind flow, ground moisture and more. Natural grasslands have a precipitation of 500mm – 900mm per year. The deserts have anywhere between 250mm a year. This type of rainfall preserves the moisture and cooperates with the abiotic and biotic factors of the grassland. Grasslands can also happen in high rainfall areas. Grassland climates array from cool to hot summers, and ice in the winter...
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...Forest ecosystem FOREST ECOSYSTEM A forest is more than just the trees. A single forest is a complete, functioning ecosystem that supports innumerable plant and animal species as well as earth, water, and air subsystems. The subsystems provide the essence of life of the forest and are in themselves a byproduct of forest systems, all of which are reciprocal and inter dependent. A forest ecosystem is a complex of living and non-living elements which interrelate. An ecosystem can be small (like your backyard) or large (like the planet earth). It depends on the range of individual species or group of species being discussed (e.g.: a salmon stock or a forest type), geology (e.g.: a mountain range or watershed), and other issues. Different organisms exist within the forest layers. These organisms interact with each other and their surrounds. Echo organism has a role or niche in sustaining the ecosystem. Some provide food for other organisms, other provide shelter or control populations trough predation. NEEDLE LEAF Needle leaf trees fall into two categories based on how they are attached to the twig coming off the branch of the tree. On coastal redwoods and true firs, the needles will be connected directly to the twig, growing off it like leaves off the branch of a common plant. On trees like spruce trees, the individual needles will be connected to the tree via a peg-like stalk, which is also known as a needle peg. Sometimes needles on conifers are bundled together...
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...Have you ever been in a savanna? Grass everywhere you go and plenty of wildlife. Savannas are also called tropical grasslands. The savanna is a beautiful place, but it is constantly having poachers hunting endangered animals. Also, people are using the area as farmlands. Animals are forced to move, but there are some parks that let all animal come and be safe from poachers. In this report, you will learn about life in a Savanna, where savannas can be located, and issues within the ecosystem. Location Savannas are usually between a desert and a rainforest. It’s found in southeastern South America, south and middle Africa, south Asia, and eastern Australia. Bodies of water around the savannas are the Atlantic and Indian Ocean. Countries that...
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...goats and other animals they preyed on came back and repopulated the areas. Amur Leopard Also known as Far Eastern leopard is a leopard subspecies native to the Primorye region of southeastern Russia and Jilin Province of northeast China. Its ecological role: Amur leopards hunt a very wide variety of animals including roe deer, sika deer, badgers and hares. Amur leopards are threatened by poaching, encroaching civilization, new roads, exploitation of forests, and climate change. Methods of restoring populations Cut down poaching and other threats by funding appropriate conservation projects and educating and informing people about the importance of the Amur leopard Black-footed ferret Black-footed ferrets once occurred in grassland habitats throughout the Great Plains in 12 US states and 2 Canadian provinces, and possibly portions of northern Mexico. It’s a predator towards prairie dogs For a time, the black-footed ferret was harvested for the fur trade. The large drop in black-footed ferret numbers began during the 1800s through to the 1900s, as prairie dog numbers declined because of control programs and the conversion of prairies to croplands. Restoring large populations of prairie dogs to bring back a healthy and diverse prairie ecosystem and would be helpful in the recovery of the black footed ferrets. Arizona, New Mexico and the Chihuahuan desert: Sky Island In the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico lies a region boasting the highest...
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...Introduction The gopher, also known as the Prairie Dog is one of the world’s pests. This small mammal has destroyed crops in a lot of counties. It feed on any grain or leaf plant it can eat. As a result people have trapped and shot these creature for many year. Size Gophers are a small, rabbit sized, mammal. They burrow their dens, or holes, in the soft dirt. The most common place to find them is in North Americas grass lands. They typically take to the fields where they can find food easily. Gophers usually travel and live in colonies, much like ants. And they only come out in the daylight. (Geographic, 1996-2014) (Gehmon) The Burrow Their burrows, or dens, is an extensive system of tunnels and chambers marked by mounds of dirt at the burrows entrance. These burrows have definite nurseries, sleeping quarters, and even toilets. They also include listening posts near exits. These posts make it so that they can safely keep tabs and movements on predators. The gophers spend a lot of time building and rebuilding their dwellings due to a many number of predators that take their former home. (Geographic, 1996-2014) Predators (Wildlife) There are many predators that endanger and steal from the lives of gophers. These predators consist of snakes, burrowing owls, and even rare black-footed ferrets, weasels. These predators hunt the gophers in their own dwelling, or burrow. Snakes often eat the prairie dogs, then use the burrow as their own. The same happens with the burrowing owls...
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...we have and work on being happy on the things that are currently at hand while the latter talks about aspiring to gain more and improve. Contentment is as still as the earth while Ambition is as fierce as fire. The Greener Grass Syndrome has slowly spread throughout our workplace or our life. There are many of us who feel that the current pasture we are on are slowly depleting and is not making us happy any more. There is a lot who is thinking of the better pasture out there. What lies behind the mountain that hinders us from moving? Is there a greener grass out there that is a whole lot better than the current one that we are feeding on? Which weighs much greater, the current grass that I can mold and make it better or the unknown grassland in the beyond? Every time I think about this syndrome, it reminds me of the story of the sheep who feels that they are not treated right by their shepherd. Their grass in their pasture has ceased to grow because the shepherd failed to maintain it. The fence in the pasture is also ruined as the Shepherd is more concerned on the wool that the sheep is producing. In short, he forgot to make his pasture as safe place. One of the sheep rebelled and started digging a hole in the fence. Days have passed and the hole become larger and the sheep could easily fit in. The day has come for him to be free. The sheep proud and tall told the other sheep that there is a better pasture on the other side but nobody listened. So the proud sheep went on...
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...grazing management principles. Grazing practices have shaped and developed ecosystems over thousands of years. Though unmanaged livestock grazing has degraded ecosystems, if grazing is properly managed, livestock can be used to mimic the patterns of grazing and improve and maintain riparian health and function. Management must be specifically orientated to each area keeping in mind that some areas may not be suitable for grazing. To ensure success, a monitoring program must be implemented considering the function and wildlife from the initial stages through subsequent years. This will provide the benchmark needed to determine if management goals have been achieved. References NRCS (2015). Common Conservation Practices for Grazing Grasslands. Retrieved on April 12, 2015 from...
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...We will study the black-tailed prairie dog population in a study area of greater than 100 miles in the Great Plans region of north-central Kansas for 20 years. The locations of the will contain approximately 50 prairie dog coteries and fabricated burrows. These burrow sizes will be similar to what would be found in nature. The depth of a burrow found in nature can ranges from about 1.0 to 1.5 meters below the ground surface (Hoogland 1995). The length of all the tunnels combined is around 9.0 to 12.0 meters in nature (Hoogland 1995). The total study area is 1,300,000 km2 of flat land covered in prairie, steppe, and grassland. The Great Plains lie west of the Mississippi River and east of the Rocky Mountains from the United States to Canada (Rouse Jr 1974). Within this study area, we will account for the genders of each individual as well as breeding and non-breeding individuals. We will conduct the experiment as part of a long-term study of the reproductive success within the populations. These fabricated burrows will serve as a home for the 25 coteries placed in each one. The other 25 prairie dog coteries will serve as the control to ensure movement into our manufactured burrow did not change the behavior affects. We will capture several different coteries...
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...GEOGRAPHICAL AND SPICES INFO: * It is located in extensive regions of Africa, Asia, Australia and South America. In the African savanna that occupies the east of the central area of Africa * Location * Some locations of savannas include: * Africa - Kenya, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Botswana, South Africa, and Namibia * Australia * Central America - Belize and Honduras * South America - Venezuela and Columbia * Southern Asia * Abitoic facores: -fire Fire is the most important abiotic factor to the savanna. without the constant fires a tropical savanna could turn into a tropical forest -soil it is real important to plants and the animals that eat the plants -air Without it survival would be impossible. -water During the summer or dry season there really isn't a lot of water. Trees store water during the wet season so they have water during the dry season. * Plants * Grasses -Bermuda grass is one of the most common grasses in the tropical savanna biome. With its deep root system, bermuda grass has adapted to the savanna by dying off above ground during periods of drought, while maintaining growth beneath the soil. -Elephant grass grows in clumps and, despite its razor sharp leaves, provides shelter to several types of savanna birds. * Acacia Tree -A medium-sized tree, can reach 65 feet in height with a flat, round top and...
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...Lions. Nourishing. Kids. Imagination. Your adrenaline is running. You can see the African Safari slowly coming around in the room. The sun beating down on your neck. In the distance the lions are standing in the watering hole. There walking toward you, slowly, quietly. You think their not gonna see you. By the end the room is dark. Ray Bradbury’s short story “The Veldt,” takes place in a smart home — a home where it does everything for you, from feeding them and rocking them to sleep. Wendy and Peter have always loved the nursery their parents built for them. They remember everything that has happened in the past and the things that have happened now. Without the nursery the kids would have nothing. George and Lydia Hadley call this the veldt. The veldt is a room that you go into and it takes your thoughts and turns them into a reality on a wall. Doing every every thought from the smell to the sound. This is supposed to be a place for them to express themselves and also a way for psychologists to keep track of all thought patterns that are coming and going into the veldt. The kids are really used to having everything they want, so they are never told no by their parents. Since the veldt means so much to the kids it would kill them to have it taken away. One lesson the story suggests is that when children become spoiled they become naughty kids. From the very beginning, the author uses descriptive language to show how the kids are spoiled. In one of the scenes in the story it...
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