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Temperate grasslands are also known as prairie, puszta, pampas, plains or steppes with warm, moist summers (average 18ºC) and cool, dry winters (average 10ºC). It can snow during the winter. The most prominent temperate grasslands are found in the Great Plains of Canada and the United States, Argentina, South Africa, Central Eurasia and Australia.

There are two distinctive types of temperate grasslands - tall-grass (more than 2 meters) and short-grass less than 60 cm). Trees are generally not found in these regions due to the lack of moisture and their need for a relatively longer life cycle. Grasses such as purple needlegrass, blue grama, buffalo grass and galleta grow in the temperate grasslands.

Much of the temperate grasslands in North America have been converted into farmland and the once teeming herds of bison and pronghorn antelope have dwindled almost to extinction, except in regions where the prairie grasses have been retained. For example in Southern Saskatchewan province it is still possible to see wild pronghorn, and buffalo have been reintroduced into Grasslands National Park, the newest Canadian park located near Val Marie.

Steppes can be found in both Europe and North America where there are hot summers and cold winters, with an average rainfall of 25 - 50 cm. All too frequently the local peoples grow crops such as wheat and allow their livestock to graze, thus destroying the natural grasses.
Animal Adaptations
The most predominant species found in the temperate grasslands are large grass-eating (herbivorous) ungulates (hoofed mammals), who are able to take full advantage of the various grasses found there and who have a specially adaptive digestive system to process the grasses. Because of the relatively short height of plants, they are able to see a predator from a distance and have adapted to be able to run swiftly away from danger.

Examples of animals that can be found in temperate grasslands of North America include bison, pronghorn antelope, rodents, badgers, coyotes, blackbirds, grouses, quails, hawks, owls, snakes, grasshoppers, leafhoppers and spiders.

The Russian steppes are home to tarpan (wild horse), saiga antelope, polecats and mole rats, amongst others. The latter animal lives underground in burrows and is adapted to this lifestyle by virtue of their short limbs, small eyes, tiny external ears and large incisors used for digging.

Many grassland mammals have front legs and paws adapted to dig burrows where they can be safe from predators.

Many prairie animals have coats that blend in with the surrounding vegetation, so that they are camouflaged from predators. In the colder climates of Eurasia, the snow leopard has a coat of creamy white behind dark rosettes which helps to camouflage them in the snow and rocks.

Aardvarks eat only insects, utilizing their large claws to dig into anthills and termite mounds, and then utilizing their long, sticky tongues to lap up the insects.

Prairie dogs mostly eat grasses, seeds, leaves, flowers and fruit (herbivorous), but also eggs and insects.

Animals such as red-tailed hawks, owls, skunks, coyotes and opossums are carnivores (meat-eaters) and feast on small mammals.

Badgers are an example of an animal that eats both animals and plants (omnivores), choosing from a variety of rodents, frogs, snakes, insects, fruits and roots.

The Australian dingo (wild dog) is an example of an animal that is active at night (nocturnal)

Despite many efforts to eradicate the black-tailed prairie dog because they were considered a nuisance to farmers, they still manage to survive in certain areas, living in burrows adjacent to one another in great numbers. These are known as "towns". The highly endangered black-footed ferret depends upon the prairie dog as its sole source of food and, thanks to the efforts of several conservation groups, are now making a comeback in Wyoming and will soon be re-introduced into Grasslands National Park in Saskatchewan, Canada as the population of black tailed prairie dogs becomes stable.

Another example of interdependence is the monarch butterfly and the milkweed plant. The butterfly larvae eat the milkweed leaves (toxic to most other insects). This toxin accumulates in the butterfly's body, making it inedible to most birds, and who consequently avoid the monarch.

As the weather turns cold, animals such as the thirteen-lined ground squirrel digs a deep nest below the frost line, plug the entrance with soil to keep themselves warm. In addition, these squirrels also build two other kinds of burrows - one for hiding for short periods of time and another to nest in during the warmer weather.
Plant Adaptations
The soil of the grasslands is generally deep and fertile, with roots penetrating way below ground where moisture is retained during droughts.

Perennial grasses bud below ground or just at the surface, making them resistant to drought, fire and cold. The stem is narrow and upright, reducing the affects of heat in the summer.

As with the tropical grasslands, the temperate grasslands also rely on seasonal drought, fire and grazing to prevent shrubs and trees from becoming established. Many beautiful wildflowers such as asters, coneflowers, goldenrods, sunflowers, clover, etc. thrive in these regions, as well as certain trees such as willow, oak and cottonwood near the rivers. Insects are attracted to the colourful blossoms of the wildflowers; as the insect feeds, the pollen brushes off on the insect who then carries it to another plant and in the process fertilizes that plant.

The stinging nettle plant has a beautiful plant but contains a painful sting to protect itself from humans and grazing animals.

Overgrazing and plowing over of grasslands lead to erosion of the soil during droughts. The loose soil left behind is picked up by strong winds, causing dust storms for miles and the loss of fertility in the earth.

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Temperate grasslands are also known as prairie, puszta, pampas, plains or steppes with warm, moist summers (average 18ºC) and cool, dry winters (average 10ºC). It can snow during the winter. The most prominent temperate grasslands are found in the Great Plains of Canada and the United States, Argentina, South Africa, Central Eurasia and Australia.

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DK Find Out! | Fun Facts for Kids on Animals, Earth, History and more!

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Visit DK Find Out! to learn about dinosaurs, space, animals, nature & more. Fun learning activities for kids with videos, quizzes & galleries at DKFindOut.com

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Join us as we travel the oceans far and wide with these electric jellyfish facts!

Fast jellyfish facts

Phylum: Cnidaria
Class: Scyphozoa
Classification: Invertebrate
IUCN status: Not evaluated
Lifespan (in wild): One year
Weight: Up to 2kg
Body size: 2cm to 2m
Top speed: 8km/h
Diet: Fish, shrimp, crabs, tiny plants and even other species of jellyfish
Habitat: Oceans
Range:

Jellyfish have been around for millions of years, even before dinosaurs lived on the Earth. Pulsing along on our ocean currents, these jelly-like creatures can be found in waters both cold and warm, deep and shallow and along coastlines, too. Some jellyfish are clear, but others are vibrant colours of pink, yellow, blue and purple. They can be bioluminescent, too, which means they produce their own light!

Jellyfish have no brain, heart, bones or eyes. They are made up of a smooth, bag-like body and tentacles armed with tiny, stinging cells. These incredible invertebrates use their stinging tentacles to stun or paralyse prey before gobbling it up.

The jellyfish's mouth is found in the centre of its body. From this small opening it both eats and discards waste. And it serves another purpose, too - by squirting a jet of water from its mouth, the jellyfish can propel forward! Cool, eh?

Jellyfish digest their food, which consists of fish, shrimp, crabs and tiny plants, very quickly. If they didn't, they wouldn't be able to float, being weighed down by the large, undigested grub in their body.

The jellyfish itself provides a tasty meal for other ocean creatures, particularly sea turtles, who like to guzzle them up regularly. In some cultures around the world, people eat jellyfish, too. In China, they are considered a delicacy, and are also used in Chinese medicine.

Jellyfish stings can be painful to humans and, from certain species, they can even be deadly. Although these magnificent marine creatures don't purposely attack humans, most stings occur when people accidentally touch a jellyfish.

Picture credits
Bioflourescent jellyfish: Getty Images UK. Close-up of purple jellyfish: Bruce H. Obison. Jellyfish with long tentacles: Natursports, Dreamstime. Yellow jellyfish: Tim Hester, Dreamstime. Map showing jellyfish distribution: National Geographic Maps.

What did you make of our jellyfish facts? Leave a comment below and let us know!

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Jellyfish Facts! | National Geographic Kids

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Join us as we travel the oceans far and wide with these electric jellyfish facts! Phylum: Cnidaria Class: Scyphozoa Classification: Invertebrate IUCN status: Not evaluated Lifespan (in wild): One year Weight: Up to 2kg Body size: 2cm to 2m Top speed: 8km/h Diet: Fish, shrimp, crabs, tiny plants and even other species of jellyfish Habitat: Oceans Range: Jellyfish have been around for millions of years, even before dinosaurs lived on the Earth.

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Check out our awesome range of animal facts for kids and learn some fun trivia about our friends in the animal kingdom.

Fun Jellyfish Facts for Kids

Check out our range of fun jellyfish facts for kids. Learn what jellyfish look like, what they eat, where they live and much more.

Read on and enjoy a variety of interesting information about jellyfish.

Jellyfish live in the sea and are found in all oceans.

Some jellyfish live in fresh water.

Jellyfish look a little like umbrellas.

Jellyfish can be large and brightly colored.

They can often be transparent (see-through) or translucent (semi-translucent).

Some can be very hard to see, nearly invisible to the human eye.

Although the word is mentioned in their name, jellyfish are not fish.

A group of jellyfish is called a 'bloom', 'swarm' or 'smack'.

Large blooms can feature over 100000 jellyfish.

Jellyfish don't have brains.

Jellyfish use their tentacles to sting. Most are harmless to humans but stings from some species, such as the box jellyfish, can be very painful and sometimes kill.

Box jellyfish are almost transparent (see-through).

Jellyfish eat plankton. Some sea turtles eat jellyfish.

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Fun Jellyfish Facts for Kids - Interesting Information about Jellyfish

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Check out our awesome range of animal facts for kids and learn some fun trivia about our friends in the animal kingdom. Fun Jellyfish Facts for Kids Check out our range of fun jellyfish facts for kids. Learn what jellyfish look like, what they eat, where they live and much more.

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Shark Anatomy and Behavior - EnchantedLearning.com

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Bull kelp, Kelp Forest, Plants & algae, Nereocystis luetkeana at the Monterey Bay Aquarium

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Bull kelp is an annual seaweed-meaning it grows from a spore to maturity within a single year. It grows quickly, sometimes 10 inches (25 cm) in one day. Bull kelp reproduces by spores in spore patches (sori), which are heavy enough to fall to the ocean floor.

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Coral Printout. Coral polyps are small marine invertebrate animals. Most coral polyps live in large colonies.

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http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/invertebrates/coral/Coralprintout.shtml