Climatic Region: Temperate Continental Grasslands

Introduction

Temperate continental grasslands are plains with grasses and without trees (other than those near water bodies). The climate of these types of grassland is temperate, ranging from semi-arid to semi-humid. They play a role in the survival of many species (both flora and fauna). Temperate continental grasslands also serve an important role in managing the effects of climate change. 

Types of grasslands

Grasslands are the biomes where the dominant flora are grasses instead of trees. They are usually found in the interiors of the continents. Grasslands are of two types: temperate continental grasslands and tropical continental grasslands. Other than Antarctica, grasslands are found on every continent. 

Grasslands have dry and windy weather throughout the year. They occur on flat land, gentle slope hills, and plateaus. These types of regions are considered to serve as the transition state between deserts and forests.

Temperate grasslands are found in temperate regions, where there are fewer trees and grasses are shorter than the tropical continental grasslands. There are four major types of temperate continental grasslands: the pampas, the veld, the prairies, and the steppes. 

The Pampas 

The real meaning of Pampas is plains (in Spanish) and found in South America. The region supports many species of grasses and grows in small clumps.

The Veld

This type of grassland is found in South Africa. The temperate continental grasslands of South Africa are called veld, which means ‘field’. They cover a vast region and have grasses of varying heights, from high to low.

The Prairies

The region east of the Rocky Mountains in North America serves as the ground for the growth of vast sweeping continental grasslands known as the Prairies.

The Steppes

Steppes of Asia are the land covered with short grasses and have a semi-arid type of climate. The meaning of the word steppe is ‘grassy plain’. The grasses of these plains are shorter than prairie and are found in the Eurasian region. This type of grassland occurs in temperate climates characterised by warm summers, cold winters, and seasonal changes in temperature. In general, there are two types of steppe: meadow (north region) and dry steppe (south region). The region is mainly covered by the semi-arid zones that receive hardly 25–50 cm of precipitation, which is required to support the growth of the grasses.

The main characteristics of temperate continental grasslands are as follows:

• They occur in temperate regions of the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. 
• They have distinct seasons marked by a seasonal change in temperature and variation in precipitation. 
• Grasslands have various seasons of dormancy and growth.
• The climate is characterised by hot summers and cold winters. 
• Grasses have a height of a few centimetres to some metres.

Temperature in grasslands

The temperature of temperate continental grasslands varies from as low as −40 °C to as high as 40 °C (source: a study conducted by the California Museum of Paleontology). Summers in temperate grasslands are hot, and winters are cool. The climate is drier and colder in comparison to tropical grasslands. The average temperature of January is −18 °C in the north and around 10 °C in the south. The mean annual grassland temperature is below 0 °C. Climate has extremes of temperature, and temperature varies greatly between winter and summer. 

Steppe Climate

Steppes are the type of temperate continental grassland that grow in dry habitats, where the climate is not suitable for the growth of trees. Steppes have a diverse range of flora and are rich in species of grasses. The climate of steppe grasslands has a high annual range of temperature, with distinct seasons of cold winters and hot summers. The temperature in summer sometimes crosses 40°C and in winter sometimes below −40 °C. The growing season of grasses lies between the spring and summer seasons when temperatures of grasslands vary between hot and cold. The overall temperature of this season serves as a conducive environment for the growth of plants. This season is also characterised by the dormancy of plants till the weather is warm in the spring. Precipitation in the steppe climate varies from 10-35 inches a year, mainly in late spring and in early summer, which creates a suitable environment for the growth of grasses. The winter season also has precipitation but mostly in the form of snow. 

Steppe Vegetation

In the steppes region, there are vast deposits of loess, which support the enormous growth of grasses. Soil is mostly chernozemic (black colour soil having a high amount of humus-rich in phosphoric acid, ammonia, and phosphorus). Some of the species of plants found in steppe vegetation are Festuca, Agropyron, Artemisia, Aster, Inula, Linum, and Salvia. The local names of grasses are blue grama, Galleta, buffalo grass, purple needlegrass, ryegrass, and foxtail. Some areas of these grasslands may have trees along the river valleys. Some species of flowers also grow among the grasses. Grasses of the steppe grow up to a few centimetres to metres tall. The rainfall in the Asian steppe is light and unreliable. The poor soil here results in the growth of short grasses. 

Conclusion

Temperate continental grasslands are the flora-rich regions of the Earth and cover almost 25% of the Earth. Rich soil also promotes the season-based cultivation of crops and nurtures human civilisation in the interior of continents. The winter season at extremes makes the region uninhabitable for both the plants and animals: both survive the season through hibernation. The rich soil in some of these grasslands supports the growth of tall grasses and nurtures animal diversity in nearby areas. These grasslands also serve the settlement of humans in the regions and support their survival.