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A biome characterized by vast, open areas dominated by grasses with few trees, moderate rainfall, and distinct seasons with hot summers and cold winters

Grasslands are dominated more by tall grass rather than large trees and shrubs

Grasslands cover about 25% of Earth’s surface

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Temperate grasslands all over the world have been heavily altered by human activity

Ever since humans have harnessed fire they have burned temperate grasslands to aid in hunting game

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The carbon stock in grassland soils decreases as plant biodiversity declines.

One third of the carbon stock is stored in grasslands

Top 30 centimeters of soil in these environments absorb 63.5 million tons of carbon each year.

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Grasses that dominate grasslands are characterized by extensive fibrous root systems that often make up 60-80% of the biomass carbon in these ecosystems

Grasslands store carbon dioxide through photosynthesis

A significant amount of a grassland plant's biomass is stored in its roots, which go deep underground making it mostly protected from fires that release carbon from above-ground biomass in forests

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Urban development, farming, and invasive species are destroying and degrading grasslands about 2 million acres of U.S. grassland are lost each year, an area three times the size of Yosemite National Park.

Conversion to cropland replaces native prairie and grazing lands, removing wildlife habitats and releasing large amounts of carbon

Invasive plants and poor land management further damage ecosystems, leading to soil erosion, loss of biodiversity.

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The Loss of the North American Grassland Biome 

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The Loss of the North American Grassland Biome 

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You can see that due to human caused change there is a huge loss in grassland.

This Biome peaked at 1 Billion Acres but has lost 62% of what was already there

These changes are due to Human activities that are releasing more CO2 into the atmosphere not allowing the grasslands to thrive.

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Berkeley University of California. “The Grassland Biome.” Berkeley.edu, Berkeley University of California, 2019, ucmp.berkeley.edu/exhibits/biomes/grasslands.php.

Faber-Langendoen , D, and J Messick. “NVCS.” Www1.Usgs.gov, 14 Oct. 17AD, www1.usgs.gov/csas/nvcs/unitDetails/860245.

“Grassland 2.0.” Grassland 2.0, 2019, grasslandag.org/tools/.

Grassland Carbon Management. 12 Dec. 2023.

Kerlin, Kat. “Grasslands More Reliable Carbon Sink than Trees.” UC Davis, 9 July 2018, www.ucdavis.edu/climate/news/grasslands-more-reliable-carbon-sink-than-trees.

Matteo Cavallito. “Declining Biodiversity Reduces Carbon Sequestration in Grasslands.” Re Soil Foundation, 30 Oct. 2023, resoilfoundation.org/en/environment/biodiversity-soil-carbon-grasslands/. Accessed 23 Oct. 2025.

Shen, Xiangjin, et al. “Vegetation Greening, Extended Growing Seasons, and Temperature Feedbacks in Warming Temperate Grasslands of China.” Journal of Climate, vol. 35, no. 15, 1 Aug. 2022, pp. 5103–5117, https://doi.org/10.1175/jcli-d-21-0325.1.

“The Vital Role of African Savanna Landscapes in Global Climate Action.” Stories.climateandforests-Undp.org, stories.climateandforests-undp.org/the-vital-role-of-african-savanna-landscapes-in-global-climate-action/index.html.