VPE 511: Environment and Environmental Hygiene (2+1)

GRASSLAND ECOSYSTEM

• Grassland occurs in places where there is cold climate during winter and hot climate during summer. Rainfall is average. Grasslands and inhabited mainly by tall grasses.
• There are the types of grasslands. They are as follows

• Tropical grassland is dominated by tall grasses. Example: Africa and Savannas. They occur near borders of tropical rain forests. Animals such as zebras, giraffes and antelopes live here. Termites and mounds are found here.
• Temperate grassland occurs on slopes of hills. Winters are very cold and summer is hot. Overgrazing leads to absence of trees and shrubs. Example: Africa-Velds, US and Canada-Prairies, S America- Pampas and Central Europe and Asia- Steppes.
• Polar grassland (Arctic Tundra) is characterized by the following:
  • Severe cold and strong winds
  • Summer sunshine (small annual plants grow)
  • Animals-Wolf, fox, reindeer
  • Below soil thick layer of ice remains frozen throughout the year (Permafrost).
• Abiotic factors
  • They include soil, inorganic components in the air, rainfall, minerals in soil.
• Biotic factors
  • Producers
    • There are different varieties of grasses namely Dichanthium Cynodon, Cenchrus and Sachharum. But there are no trees.
  • Consumers
    • Primary consumers: They include cow, buffalo, bison, bull, deer, rabbit, rat , insects, termites and millipedes.
    • Secondary consumers: They include snake, garden lizard, calotes, bird, fox and jackals which feed on herbivores.
    • Tertiary consumers: They include hawks and vulture, which feed on secondary consumers.
  • Decomposers
    • Mucor, Rhizopus, Penicillium and Aspergillus are of the fungi which decay the dead organic matter.
    • Bacteria also acts on dead organic matters and affect the mineral cycling.