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Plant Adaptations: Grasslands
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Plant Adaptations: Grasslands
Breana Cervantes, Ada Mgbodille, Katie Ross
Agrophyron spicatum (Bluebunch Wheatgrass)
Sorghastrum nutans (Indian grass)
Native to: Western North America
Adaptation: Grass growing in bunches, sharing same root system
Advantage: survive strong winds
Tradeoff: higher attraction of grazers
Source: http://www.virtualmuseum.ca/sgc-cms/expositions-exhibitions/buckaroos/english/bunch-grass.html
Prairie Grass
Native to: North America (but found in most continents)
Adaptation: narrow leaves
Advantage: Reduce water loss
Tradeoff: less sunlight in-take → less photosynthesis
Source: http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/grasslands_plant_page.htm
Native to: veldts of Africa, the pampas of South America, the steppes of Eurasia, and the plains of North America
Adaptation: soft stems
Advantage: bend in the wind
Tradeoff: Has little to no protection
Source: http://www.mbgnet.net/bioplants/adapt.html
Ranunculus acris (Meadow Buttercup)
Native to: Central and Northeastern Europe
Adaptation: Toxin
Advantage: protection from grazing animals (cattle, horses, goats)
Tradeoff: can also reduce amount of pollinators, if they haven’t adapted to withstand toxin
Source: https://plants.usda.gov/plantguide/pdf/pg_raac3.pdf
Acacia senegal:
Acacia Tree
Liatris spicata (Blazing star)
Native to Africa and Australia
Adaptation: long roots that can tap into water sources during dry season; fire resistant; symbiotic relationship with ants; chemical defense system
Tradeoff: Compete for water
Native to: Eastern North America
Adaptation: Colorful
Advantage: Attract pollinators
Tradeoff: ????
Source: http://www.ri.net/schools/West_Warwick/manateeproject/grassland/plant.htm
Grassland Characteristics
- Consist of very few, if any, trees and shrubs
- Moderate Rainfall
- Precipitation patterns are erratic and Grasslands typically undergo a period of seasonal drought
- Dry climate and Warm temperatures cause fires
- Two main divisions: Savannas and Temperate Grasslands
(Grasslands Conservation of British Columbia
http://www.hww.ca/en/wildspaces/grasslands.html)
Tropical grasslands
- Near the Equator
- May have a few trees and an open shrub layer
- Wet and humid climate
- Less temperature fluctuations
- 20-50 inches of rainfall
- Soil is porous and infertile
(http://blueplanetbiomes.org/african_savannah.htm)
(http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/habitas/temperate_grasslands,_savannas,_and_shrublands)
Temperate Grasslands
- North of the Tropic of Cancer and South of the Tropic of Capricorn
- Absence of trees and shrubs
- Hot summers and cold winters
- 10-35 inches of precipitation annually
- Nutrient-rich soils