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Grasslands and Savannas
Grasslands are lands dominated by grasses (excluding bamboos) and other herbaceous plants with few woody plants. Drought, fire, grazing, freezing temperatures, and soil fertility combine to produce grasslands. About 20 percent of the earth’s surface is covered by grasslands. The tropical grasslands (savannas) of Africa support a remarkable diversity of antelopes and other herbivores. Other grasslands have many fewer species. Larger vertebrates and specialty birds are threatened by grassland conversion and hunting. Grasslands are major sources of meat and milk. Anthropogenic grasslands now dominate the earth.
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Keywords temperate prairies, pampas, campos, steppes, tropical grasslands, savannas, grazing, fire ecology, livestock, cropland conversion, livestock, grazing, invasives, rangeland |
Photo Sources:
Top right: Savanna
