Introduction

Located mostly in the interior of North America and stretching from Eastern Europe to Asia are the temperate grasslands.

Most of these grasslands are trapped within the interior of continents, receiving just enough rainfall to sustain many grasses and few trees.

In North America, temperate grasslands are called tallgrass prairies, and stretch from Canada down to Texas.

Once covering almost 40% of the land area of the U.S., most prairie land is now used for agriculture.

Temperate grasslands experience mild to hot summers and cold winters, with most of the precipitation falling as snow during the winter months.

Over 150 different types of grasses dominate the landscape, with some reaching up to 10 feet in height.

During the warmer months, the grasses are filled in with hundreds of different types of wildflowers, attracting a myriad of pollinators.

Many of the wildflowers here are perennials. This means that they grow back each year after the cold season.

The plant life here is well-adapted to natural wildfires that periodically sweep across and renew the land, as it begins to grow again shortly after.

Prairie soil remains nutrient-rich, thanks to the help of earthworms that decompose dead organic matter.

Along with providing fertile, aerated soil for plant growth, these earthworms are a constant food source for many other animals, including birds.

The many birds here have adapted to building nests and raising their young on or near the ground, hidden within the grasses.

Hiding the nest is vital as bird’s eggs are a favorite meal for prairie predators, like the king snake.

The grasses here are not only a hiding place for many organisms, but also provide food as they convert the sun’s energy into fuel for the entire ecosystem.

This energy enters the food web when primary consumers, like grasshoppers, eat the grasses.

Grasshoppers are important prairie residents as they support a large variety of secondary consumers.

Like grasshoppers, bison are primary consumers, roaming these lands and grazing on grasses.

Like many other large grassland grazers, bison give birth in the open, surrounded by other bison for protection. A newborn bison calf must stand up quickly after birth and be able to move with the herd to survive.

Perhaps the most well-known residents here are prairie dogs. These burrowing grazers eat mostly grasses, dining on the occasional insect.

Only 4% of the North American prairies remain today. As the need for agricultural land to support human needs increases, national parks and other public lands help to hold onto what’s left of this endangered biome.