Grasslands+(temperate)

Temperate Grasslands What is a Temperate Grassland all about?

__**Temperature:**__
 * The average temperature is 38˚C or 100˚F
 * In the winter it can get down to -40˚C

__**Precipitation:**__ __North Dakota Prairie Grassland__ __Description__: The prairies are all made up of national and privately owned land. The land is filled with tall grasses on the prairie and rolling hills.
 * In some Temperate Grasslands it can rain up to 10-20 inches

__ Adventuring: __ Necessities __ : water, food, comfortable shoes, anything you feel is needed. __ Adventures __ : You can take tours, bike, camp, fish, hike, horseback riding, hunt, picnic, and wildlife viewing. __

**__ Animals __** There are many animals in a Grassland. Some that will be mentioned are Coyotes and a Golden Eagle.  A //Coyote// lives in open brushy areas in this biome. They are at the top of the food chain so they don’t have any animal predators, only hunters. Coyotes eat smaller mammals and a variety of fruit when it is available.  A //Golden Eagle// nests in trees, clay knobs and sandstone cliffs. They build very large nests made out of sticks. These nests are so big because they need to hold all of the baby birds; they grow to be pretty big. Golden Eagles use their sharp talons to grab rabbits, marmots, and ground squirrels. They will also eat carrion, small insects, birds, fish, reptiles, and have been known to attack full grown deer. **__ Plants __** Most of the plants in a Temperate Grassland consist of different types of grass. Also they have many types of wild flowers; they don’t really grow a lot of trees. //   Buffalo Grass // is short grass that is usually found in prairies which is a type of Temperate Grassland. They go from Montana south to Mexico, but also are found in the Dakotas. Buffalo grass is eaten by Buffalo, that’s how they got their name. When they were stretching across the U.S, this was their primary food source.  Purple Coneflowers are scattered throughout tall grass regions north west to south eastern Kansas. These flowers were also carried to other regions like Pennsylvania. This is not a food source for any animal. **__Invasive__** __**Species **__  In Dakota there is an invasive species called a //Leafy Spurge// infestations. Grassland birds are dying because of this species and because of this the population in every temperate grassland will go down. Leafy Spurge or //Euphorbia esula//, was originally found in Europe. It is a pest to any animal that lives near it especially the people that have to deal with it.

**__Work Cited__** (1999). Buffalo Grass. Retrieved October, 2008, from Field Guide to the Prairie Web site: [|__http://www.bellmuseum.org/distancelearning/prairie/fieldguide/buffalograss.html__] (1999). Purple Cornflower. Retrieved October, 2008, from Field Guide to the Prairie Web site: [|__http://www.bellmuseum.org/distancelearning/prairie/fieldguide.html__]

(2000). Dakota Prairie. Retrieved October, 2008, from Federal Recreation, Camping and tour reservations information Web site: [|__http://www.recreation.gov/__]

S.L.W (1996, October). Temperate Grasslands. Retrieved October, 2008, from Biomes Web site: [|__http://www.runet.edu/~swoodwar.html__]

Webber, Charles (2002). Temperate Grasslands. Retrieved October, 2008, Web site: [|__http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/exhibits/biomes/grasslands.php#temp__]