Overview of the Grasslands:
Temperature in the grasslands can range from over 100º F to -40º F. The seasons range in harsh temperatures because of the hot summers and cold winters. The soil is dark and very rich in nutrients. This is because of the growth and decay of the wide spread grass roots. This also creates a very rich and fertile upper layer of soil. The grasslands get an average of 20-35 inches of rain. This determines the height of the grass and also is why there are three types of grasslands: the temperate grasslands, the tall grass steeps, and the short grass prairies.
These are a few photos of different grasslands.
There are four main human threats to the grasslands. Humans build farms on the grasslands which ultimately pushes the natural wildlife out. We also let our animal agriculture overgraze and that leaves nothing left for the natural wildlife and the land ends up depleted. Hunting can lead to extinction because of us killing for furs and meat. And global warming can cause droughts in these areas.
Here is a photo of some of the wildlife in the grasslands, specifically the bison.
Here is a photo of cows on grasslands. It is an example of how the agriculture industry takes over the grassland biome.
The primary producer in the grasslands is the grass itself. Because of the rich soil and widespread roots the grass can withstand harsh climates and different amounts of rainfall. The primary consumers in the grasslands are prairie dogs and bison. Since they are herbivores the grasslands are a good environment for them. They are also considered ecological engineers because of how they adapt and use their environment to their advantage. The prairie dogs adapt by hiding inside their burrows and holes to get away from predators and the harsh temperatures. The bison use a stamping noise to alert others of danger. They can also run up to 40 MPH and jump 6 feet, vertically. Tertiary consumers are the black footed ferret, lions, and hawks.
Here is a photo of one of the grasslands primary producers, the Prairie Dog.
Threats to the Grasslands and the Temperate Deciduous Forest:
The human threats to the Temperate Deciduous Forest would be farming, fuel, and housing. The trees were cut down to make room for people. They burned the trees for charcoal and also used the lumber to build homes. The cleared land was then used for these new homes and also as farmland. Less than 1/4 of the Temperate Deciduous Forest is left.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temperate_deciduous_forest#Human_effects
https://defenders.org/forest/types-forests
The grasslands also have the human threat of agriculture. earth used to be 1/4 grasslands but most of that is now used for farming and animal agriculture. There are now patches of grasslands and forests that has grown back over time around houses and farmland. Roughly 13% of the grasslands remain today. And is being lost at a rate of 2% a year.
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/habitats/grassland-threats/
https://news.mongabay.com/2016/12/grasslands-in-us-great-plains-are-being-destroyed-at-alarming-rate/
Another threat to the grasslands would hunting for meat and furs. Many of the animals in the grasslands are extinct or endangered because of the hunting. Especially on top of the growing animal agriculture business.
Here is a photo of a fox in the grasslands. It is an example some of the wildlife that is killed for fur.
Evolution of threats, Keene NH:
The biggest threat to the grasslands around Keene NH is the food we eat. Most food is grown or raised on grasslands. our culture is prone to overconsumption of resources. We waste about 40% of the food we buy. Old food in landfills contributes to 20% of the methane emissions in the United States and about 14% of greenhouse gas emissions come from the production of food.
http://goldengatexpress.org/2013/03/10/overconsumption/
Some solutions to food waste might be; just buying less food, stick to your grocery list, use a cart/ basket that only fits the essentials, and freeze more things. It can be as simple as using a basket instead of a cart or making a simple grocery list before you do to the store. You could also try composting your food waste and use it as fertilizer.
Here is a short video from the University of British Columbia that is about the impacts of the agriculture industry on our natural biomes.
To me the only wilderness we have around here is Mt. Monadnock and other hiking areas around. To me Keene has been urbanized quite a bit. On campus most of the trees that are there are not indigenous to our area. The natural foliage and wildlife was taken out and buildings were built and then a landscaper comes in and makes the campus look pretty with new plants that maybe wouldn’t have been there otherwise.
I look around in Keene and except for the couple of parks there are there isn’t much natural forest area or grassland. And that isn’t even touching on the pollution of the rivers and other bodies of water. You have to go out of town to see any natural forest or open grassland.
It wasn’t always like that though. Keene used to have a lot more wilderness and wildlife. If you just travel 10-15 minutes out of town there is a lot more wooded areas and wildlife. For example I grew up around here (about 15 mins from Keene) and it wasn’t uncommon for us to have bobcats, bears, or foxes around a lot. When I said that to a friend of mine that had only ever lived in Keene they were shocked. It feels to me like Keene has been so urbanized that people only expect to see domesticated animals.
Video:
I watched this TedTalk about how humans are affecting the environment at an exponential rate. I found it very interesting. Particularly the visual at 10:25 in the video. It is shocking how much we have messed up our environment. Especially because it has only really gotten bad in the last 60-70 years.
Video:
I watched this TedTalk about how humans are affecting the environment at an exponential rate. I found it very interesting. Particularly the visual at 10:25 in the video. It is shocking how much we have messed up our environment. Especially because it has only really gotten bad in the last 60-70 years.
In this post I resonate the most with what Julia said about the evolution of threats in Keene. I look around Keene and get sad at all the garbage in the rivers and lakes, but mostly how much the wetland was affected and all the land around us here on campus. Driving 15 min away you can experience so much more wildlife than here and it's mind-blowing. The newest information I gained from this was about the primary producers. I never knew about the different animals that live there and all the different things they do to help the environment and each other. I loved the video that was included, it was very informational. For next post I believe you should include more photos and information on those photos.
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