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

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. 

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.

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

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

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.