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Temperate grasslands are characterized as having grasses as the dominant vegetation. Trees and large shrubs are absent. ... It is nutrient-rich from the growth and decay of deep, many-branched grass roots. The rotted roots hold the soil together and provide a food source for living plants.

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“Long-term acidification of pH neutral grasslands affects soil biodiversity, fertility and function in a heathland restoration.A decline in soil biodiversity is the reduction of forms of life inhabiting soil and this can cause a subsequent deterioration or loss of one or more soil functions. Soil biodiversity does not, however, decline independently of other factors and is usually related to an abiotic deterioration in soil quality, resulting in a reduction in the condition and/or number of biological habitats in the soil that support soil biodiversity.”

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The soil of the temperate grasslands is deep and dark, with fertile upper layers. It is nutrient-rich from the growth and decay of deep, many-branched grass roots. The rotted roots hold the soil together and provide a food source for living plants.

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Streams, vernal pools, playa lakes and prairie potholes are bodies of water found in grasslands.
In general, temperate grasslands receive 20 to 35 inches of rain a year.

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Average rainfall or precipitation per year

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Average rainfall or precipitation per year

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Grasslands receive around 500 to 900 millimeters (20 – 35 inches) of rain per year.

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Dependent on latitude,the annual range of temperatures in the Grassland biome can be -20°C to 30°C

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Unkown,unknown.PlantZAfrica.(online) pza.sanbi.org
Available at:
http://pza.sanbi.org/vegetation/grassland-biome
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Unknown,2013.(online) thesustainabilitycouncil.org.
Available at:
https://www.google.co.za/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwjmgcPH7KjvAhW1RxUIHZEbCPkQFjABegQIDRAD&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thesustainabilitycouncil.org%2Fgrasslands-biome.html&usg=AOvVaw3tTllmFGZENNa-aid9Mu8s
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Unknown,Unknown.Earths Observatory(Online)Earthobservatory.nasa.gov
Available at:
https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/biome/biograssland.php
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Cozzens,Barbera,2018.Sciencing (Online)Sciencing.com
Available at:
https://sciencing.com/bodies-water-grasslands-7464691.html
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Webber,Charles,2006.UCMP(Online)umcp.Berkeley.edu
Available at:
https://ucmp.berkeley.edu/exhibits/biomes/grasslands.php
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Unknown,2016.Long-term acidification of pH neutral grasslands affects soil biodiversity, fertility and function in a heathland restoration.(Online)Sciencedirect.com
Available at:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0341816219301006
(Accessed 10 March 2021)

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There are two different types of grasslands; tall-grass, which are humid and very wet, and short-grass, which are dry, with hotter summers and colder winters than the tall-grass prairie. The settlers found both on their journey west.

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Grassland locations in the world.

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Grassland Locations in SA

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PHYSIOGRAPHIC & ECONOMIC FACTORS: Referencing list:

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PHYSIOGRAPHIC & ECONOMIC FACTORS: Referencing list:

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D McDonald.. (2009). Grassland Biome. Available: http://pza.sanbi.org/vegetation/grassland-biome. Last accessed 11 March 2021.

ANTHEA STEPHENS. (2016). Grass Lands. Available: http://biodiversityadvisor.sanbi.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Grasslands-Programme-fact-sheets.pdf. Last accessed 11 March 2021.

Nelson Mandela Advertisment crew. (20014). 5 Biome city. Available: https://www.nmbt.co.za/port_elizabeth_5_biome_city.html. Last accessed 11 March 2021.

Moffett Stein. (2011). Golden Gates Highlands National park. Available: https://www.sanparks.org/parks/golden_gate/conservation/ff/grasses.php. Last accessed 11 March 2021.

M Boval and R M Dixon. (2017). The importance of grasslands for animal production and other functions:. Available: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22558923/. Last accessed 11 March 2021.

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The Grassland Biome is found in the following 8 provinces South Africa: Gauteng, Limpopo, Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga, KwaZulu- Natal, Free State, North West and the Northern Cape. Nelson Mandela Bay in Port Elizabeth has a portion of grassland in it. Golden Gates Highlands National park is the only national park in South Africa with Grassland Biome. This biome is subject to low rainfall with wildland fires and grazing are 3 main factors of which maintain grasslands. The Climate is right for only grasses to grow in. The low amount of rain fall is enough for the grasses but not to sustain a forest of trees. The Grass in the biome is the food and what much livestock feed on. These livestock also have byproducts such as fertilizer, transport, traction, fibre and leather. Much of the live stock food and products rely on the grassland biome which shows how important a role this biome play economically and environmentally.

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-Grasslands are found on every continent except Antarctica
-About 1 quarter of the earth is grassland

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Grasslands are threatened by habitat loss, which can be caused by human actions, such as unsustainable agricultural practices, overgrazing, and crop clearing.

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There are many, many bird species that are located in the grassland biome in South Africa, some of these include; Blue Crane-and more rare species such as: Wattled Crane, Blue Swallow, Rudd's Lark, Eurasian Bittern and White-winged Flufftail.

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Reptiles Found in South African Grassland

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Reptiles Found in South African Grassland

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A few interesting reptiles that are found in the South African are:
-Nile Crocodiles
-Rock Pythons
-Leopard Tortoise
-Black Mamba

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Dugmore, H., 2012. Boost for endangered grassland birds. [online] Wwf.org.za. Available at: <https://www.wwf.org.za/?unewsid=6322#:~:text=Amongst%20these%20are%2029%20of,Bittern%20and%20White%2Dwinged%20Flufftail.> [Accessed 10 March 2021].

https://www.thoughtco.com/overview-of-the-grassland-biome-130169

Ewt.org.za. 2020. The Endangered Wildlife Trust. [online] Available at: <https://www.ewt.org.za/resources/educational-material-3/> [Accessed 10 March 2021].
Getaway Magazine. 2016. 10 endangered animals in South Africa and how you can help - Getaway Magazine. [online] Available at: <https://www.getaway.co.za/environment/conservation-environment/10-endangered-animals-south-africa-can-help/> [Accessed 10 March 2021].

Pza.sanbi.org. 2017. Vegetation of South Africa | PlantZAfrica. [online] Available at: <http://pza.sanbi.org/vegetation> [Accessed 10 March 2021].

African Wildlife Foundation. 2021. A look at the endangered African wild dog. [online] Available at: <https://www.awf.org/wildlife-conservation/african-wild-dog> [Accessed 10 March 2021].

Parker, L., n.d. Reptiles That Live in the African Grassland. [online] Pets on Mom.com. Available at: <https://animals.mom.com/reptiles-live-african-grassland-3137.html> [Accessed 10 March 2021].

Planet.botany.uwc.ac.za. n.d. Grassland Biome. [online] Available at: <http://planet.botany.uwc.ac.za/nisl/bdc321/ekapa%20cape%20towns%20lowlands/biomes/grassland.htm#:~:text=Nearly%20half%20of%20the%20original,found%20in%20the%20Grassland%20Biome.> [Accessed 10 March 2021].

van der Hoeven, C., 2019. Grasslands | Habitats | WWF. [online] World Wildlife Fund. Available at: <https://www.worldwildlife.org/habitats/grasslands> [Accessed 10 March 2021].

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https://youtu.be/q_ThdlV9dH4

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Average rainfall or precipitation per year

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Grasses dominate temperate grasslands. Trees and large shrubs are found in grassland areas. There are many species of grasses that live in this biome, including, purple needlegrass, wild oats, foxtail, ryegrass, and buffalo grass. Many animals eat these organisms to survive.   The temperate grassland does not have much animal diversity, especially compared to the Savannah.

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A few of the general species belonging to the grassland biome

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Fortunately, the South African government has taken action to protect what animals are left, and now the lion, leopard, cheetah, giraffe, hippopotamus, elephant, bison, hyena, gazelle and antelope survive in or near protected wildlife reserves. Rhinoceroses and zebras can be found wandering all over the veld as well. The dominant species in grasslands are herbivorous or plant-eating grazers.

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African Wild Dogs are endangered mostly due to ongoing habitat fragmentation, conflict with human activities and infectious disease. The estimated decline in African Wild Dog population size can be uncertain due to the species' tendency to population fluctuations.

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This region contains main 14 vegetation types and is habitat to large herds of antelope and many smaller animals. Ten bird species are exclusively restricted to grasslands.

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-A grassland biome is an area that is continuously dominated and covered by various grass species.

-The Grassland Biome is found mainly on the high central plateau of South Africa, and the inland areas of KwaZuluNatal and the Eastern Cape

-This biome supports a large variety of plant and animal life due to its variable climate conditions based on altitude.

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2850m. The altitude in the grassland biome is 2850m above sea level.