ife in the Temperate Grasslands

Grasslands

• Definition: Grassland is a region where grasses form the dominant type of plant life.
• Grasslands make up almost 25% of the total land surface.
• Climate and soil influence the types of plants.
• Types of Grasslands:
  • Temperate grasslands: grows in temperate regions.
  • Tropical grasslands: grows in tropical regions.

The Prairies

The temperate grasslands of North America are known as the Prairies.

It is a region of flat, gently sloping or hilly land.

The Prairies are bound by the Rocky Mountains in the West and the Great Lakes in the East.

It covers parts of United States of America and parts of Canada.

In the USA, the area is drained by the tributaries of Mississippi.

In Canada, the area is drained by the tributaries of Saskatchewan Rivers.

Climate

• The climate is of continental type with extreme temperatures because located in the middle of a continent.
• Summers are warm (~20°C), winters can drop to -20°C.
• Annual rainfall is moderate, ideal for grass growth.
• Chinook is a local wind that blows in this region.

Flora and Fauna

• Treeless areas; trees like willows, alders, poplars grow where water is available.
• Rainfall over 50 cm allows fertile farming areas.
• Major crop: maize; others include potatoes, soybean, cotton, alfa-alfa.
• Ranches are large cattle farms looked after by cowboys.
• Bison or American buffalo nearly extinct, now protected.
• Other animals: rabbits, coyotes, gophers, Prairie dog.

People

• Hardworking and technologically advanced.
• The region has huge wheat surplus, called “Granaries of the world”.
• Dairy farming is a major industry.
• Highly industrialised due to mineral deposits and transport network.

The Velds

The temperate grasslands of South Africa are called the velds.

Velds are rolling plateaus between 600 m to 1100 m elevation.

Bound by Drakensburg Mountains (east) and Kalahari Desert (west).

Includes parts of South Africa, Lesotho, Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia.

Drained by tributaries of Orange and Limpopo Rivers.

Climate

• Mild due to Indian Ocean influence.
• Winters (cold & dry): 5°C to 10°C; July coldest month.
• Summers are short and warm.
• Rainfall occurs in summer (Nov to Feb) due to warm ocean currents.

Flora and Fauna

• Sparse vegetation dominated by grasses.
• Red grass in bush velds, acacia and maroola in high velds.
• Animals: lions, leopards, cheetahs, kudu.

People

• Major occupations: sheep rearing (for wool), dairy farming.
• Cattle raised in warmer, wetter areas.
• Dairy products exported and used domestically.
• Soils not very fertile; fertile areas used for growing maize, wheat, barley, oats, potatoes.
• Cash crops: tobacco, sugarcane, cotton.
• Minerals: coal, iron, gold, diamonds.
• Johannesburg: gold capital of the world.
• Kimberley: known for diamond mines.

MCQs

1. The world's grasslands into two broad categories

(a) Thorny region and Deciduous regions

(b) Deciduous region and Thorny regions

(c) Thorny region and Tropical regions

(d) Temperate region and Tropical regions

► (d) Temperate region and Tropical regions

2. The temperate grasslands of North America are known as the

(a) Steppes

(b) Veldt

(c) Prairies

(d) Down

► (c) Prairies

3. _______ and extensive ____ both promote setting up of food processing industries.

(a) Fishing, Mining

(b) Dairy farming, Agriculture

(c) Mining, Agriculture

(d) Dairy farming, Fishing

► (b) Dairy farming, Agriculture

4. What is the Gold capital of the world?

(a) Johannesburg

(b) Kimberley

(c) Pretoria

(d) None of these

► (a) Johannesburg

5. Prairies are bound by the ___ on the east

(a) Flanking river

(b) Woodland

(c) Great lakes

(d) Rocky mountain

► (c) Great lakes

6. _____ can be defined as a region where grasses form the dominant type of plant life

(a) Grassland

(b) Forest

(c) Plain

(d) Shrubs

► (a) Grassland

7. In veld winters are from

(a) November to December

(b) October to January

(c) August to October

(d) June to September

► (d) June to September

8. High velds are located in the

(a) North eastern

(b) South eastern

(c) North western

(d) South western

► (a) North eastern

9. The temperate grasslands of South Africa are called the

(a) Down

(b) Veld

(c) Prairies

(d) Steppes

► (b) Veld

10. Bison is

(a) American dog

(b) American buffalo

(c) American cow

(d) American snake

► (b) American buffalo

11. Veld bound by which mountain in the east

(a) Kenya Mountains

(b) Drakensburg Mountains

(c) Mawenzi Mountains

(d) Kibo Mountains

► (b) Drakensburg Mountains

12. The Prairies are also known as the

(a) Granaries of the world

(b) Grasses of the world

(c) Heart of the world

(d) Lungs of the world

► (a) Granaries of the world

13. Which word stands for the word animal

(a) Susu

(b) Fauna

(c) Flora

(d) Chinnok

► (b) Fauna

14. Major crop in the area of prairies is

(a) Maize

(b) Gram

(c) Millet

(d) Cabbage

► (a) Maize

15. The word Prairie originated from

(a) Latin word

(b) Greek word

(c) German word

(d) French word

► (a) Latin word

16. The prairies are bound by the Rocky Mountains in the

(a) North

(b) East

(c) West

(d) South

► (c) West

17. ____ is a hot wind that blows in winter and therefore raises the temperature within a short time

(a) Hot Climate

(b) Wave

(c) High wind

(d) Chinook

► (d) Chinook

18. ____ can be defined as the place where trees are the main type of vegetation

(a) Shrubs

(b) Herbs

(c) Grassland

(d) Forest

► (d) Forest