Grassland – Prairies, Steppes and Tropical savannas

Nearly every continent in the world has huge areas where grasses are the most common plants. Different types of grasslands have different names.

Steppes, like those in the Ukraine, have short grasses.

Prairies, which include much of the American Midwest and the pampa of Argentina, have tall grasses.

Tropical savannas, like those in the Sudan, have coarse grasses.

These grasslands are often destroyed by fire.
They quickly grow again when conditions are suitable. Many smaller plants also spring up at this time, from bulbs and seeds which were dormant in the soil. Many plants of the daisy and pea families grow here. Some have seeds which cannot germinate until they are scorched by fire.
Most grasslands are in areas of low rainfall.
Grasses are well suited to dry conditions.
Their roots can take in moisture when the soil is wet and save it for the dry season.

There is rarely a sharp boundary between grassland and the vegetation of surrounding areas. Near an area of more rainfall, bushes and then trees are found scattered in the grassland. They become more and more numerous as the habitat changes to woodland or forest. Near an area of lower rainfall, the grassland becomes more sparse until it becomes stone or sandy desert.