Grasslands of the World – UPSC

In this article, You will know Major Grasslands of the World for UPSC Geography.

What are Grasslands?

A grassland ecosystem is a dry area of land dominated by grasses. Huge trees and shrubs are very rarely found in these regions, which is mainly because of the climatic conditions and other environmental factors, which do not withstand the plant’s requirements.

Grasslands are also called transitional landscape. In a grassland ecosystem, the vegetation is dominated by herbs and grass. These ecosystems are mainly found in regions, where there is a scarcity of water and not enough and regular rainfall to support the growth of plants and forests. The grassland ecosystem lies between the deserts and the forest ecosystems.

Savanna grasslands and temperate grasslands are some examples of grassland ecosystems. There are many other types of grassland around the world, which go by many names. Grasslands of South America are known as pampas and central Eurasian grasslands are referred to as steppes and so on.

Types of Grasslands

Grasslands are subdivided into two types, namely:

Tropical Grasslands

Savannah, Steppes, Great Plains of the Midwest, Palouse Prairie, and Prairies are the best examples of tropical grasslands. These regions are warm throughout the year, followed by dry and wet seasons. They receive an average annual rainfall ranging between 30 and 35 inches. These tropical grasslands are characterized by tall grasses or relatively short grasses.

Temperate Grasslands

These grasslands are similar to tropical grasslands, except for the climatic conditions. They have cold winters and warm summers with 30 and 35 inches of annual rainfall. Shrublands are the best example of temperate grasslands.

Grasslands of the World

Grasslands	Region
Steppe	Europe and North Asia
Pustaz	Hungary
Prairies	USA
Pampas	Argentina
Veld	South Africa
Downs	Australia
Canterbury	New Zealand
Savannah	Africa and Australia
Taiga	Europe and Asia
Selvas	South America

Grassland	Major Economic Activity
Prairies	Wheat Granaries Extensive Ranching
Pustaz	Rich black soil Abundant wheat production Sugar from Sugar beet [Beta vulgaris, is a plant whose root contains a high concentration of sucrose] Countries like Hungary, Ukraine, Romania, etc.
Pampas	Alfalfa: nutrient-rich grass. Ranching, cattle rearing; Dairy products Extensive wheat-producing region Economy depends on wheat and beef export
Downs and Canterbury	Sheep and Cattle rearing, Merino sheep: wool production
Veldts	Maize farms Sheep and Cattle rearing

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