Pampas – Temperate Grassland
THE EXTENDED GRASSLANDS OF SOUTH AMERICA ARE NORMALLY CALLED PAMPAS. THE PAMPAS REGIONS ALONG THE SOUTH-EAST COAST HAVE BEEN DESTROYED ALMOST COMPLETELY THROUGH AGRICULTURE AND CATTLE HERDING. HOWEVER, UNDISTURBED GRASSLANDS CAN STILL BE FOUND IN THE ROUGH CLIMATE AT THE SOUTHERN TIP OF THE CONTINENT.
Prairie – Temperate Grassland
„PRAIRIE“ IS THE TERM USED FOR GRASSLANDS IN THE MIDWESTERN UNITED STATES AND IN CANADA. THE PRAIRIES LIE IN THE RAIN SHADOW OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS AND RECEIVE LITTLE PRECIPITATION. GRADIENTS IN TEMPERATURE AND ELEVATION LEAD TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN EAST-WEST SEQUENCE OF TALLGRASS, MIXED AND SHORTGRASS PRAIRIE.
Steppe – Temperate Grassland
THE STEPPE IS CHARACTERISED BY A CONTINENTAL CLIMATE WITH COLD WINTERS, WARM SUMMERS AND LONG DRY PERIODS. THEREFORE, THE GRASS SPECIES THAT GROW HERE ARE PARTICULARLY HARDY. THE EURASIAN STEPPE BELT EXTENDS FROM EASTERN EUROPE TO EAST ASIA OVER A DISTANCE OF MORE THAN 7,000 KILOMETRES. MONGOLIA STILL CONTAINS VAST PRISTINE STEPPE AREAS.
