Grass To Pass by Zenkosi Thwala https://padlet.com/003973/q1cziarz2pk938l4 grassland biome research en-us 2021-03-02 13:24:57 UTC 2023-02-18 09:50:39 UTC hello@padlet.com BIOTIC FACTORS 003973 https://padlet.com/003973/q1cziarz2pk938l4/wish/1281643905 Characteristics of Plant Species
  • The plants have long tap roots to reach water.t
  • They have thick bark to protect from fires and trunks to store water.
  • Trees and large shrubs are absent 
  • Grasses are the dominant vegetation.

]]> 2021-03-08 12:27:20 UTC https://padlet.com/003973/q1cziarz2pk938l4/wish/1281643905 PHYSIOGRAPHIC & ECONOMIC FACTORS 413624 https://padlet.com/003973/q1cziarz2pk938l4/wish/1281648902 -provinces in which grasslands are found
Grasslands around South Africa are found in Gauteng, Limpopo, Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga, KwaZulu- Natal, Free State, North West and the Northern Cape.
-Capital/important cities in the biome
one of the main cities is Nelson Mandela Bay that has one of the most beautiful grasslands and the most looked after grassland in south Africa. ]]> 2021-03-08 12:28:48 UTC https://padlet.com/003973/q1cziarz2pk938l4/wish/1281648902 ABIOTIC FACTORS 004158 https://padlet.com/003973/q1cziarz2pk938l4/wish/1281654554 - Climate Factors:
  • Altitude
It varies from near sea level to 2,850m above sea level, with one layer of grass.
]]> 2021-03-08 12:30:28 UTC https://padlet.com/003973/q1cziarz2pk938l4/wish/1281654554 Characteristics Of Animals 003973 https://padlet.com/003973/q1cziarz2pk938l4/wish/1281858875   -  Reptiles 
  • The grasslands of Africa harbor some of the world's most interesting and varied species of reptiles. 
  • The largest crocodile in Africa is the Nile crocodile
  • Because of the brown plant surrounding the are a lot of reptiles locate/live there.
- Birds
  • grassland birds  have been in rapid decline over the last several decades
  • Grassland birds use their grassy habitat to find food, build their nests, and escape from predators

]]> 2021-03-08 13:20:20 UTC https://padlet.com/003973/q1cziarz2pk938l4/wish/1281858875 Climate 004158 https://padlet.com/003973/q1cziarz2pk938l4/wish/1289001501
  • Average rainfall/precipitation per year
    • Grassland areas receive about 9.8 and 35 inches of rain per year, a lot of rainfalls happens throughout the year, it rains a lot more during winters and spring.
    • Minimum and Maximum Temperatures
    For grasslands an average day in every month can go from 13°C - 27°C for maximum temperatures and for minimum temperatures it can go from 1°C - 13°C.
    - The chart below shows the average minimum (solid blue line) and maximum (solid red line) temperatures.
    ]]>     2021-03-09 17:53:35 UTC https://padlet.com/003973/q1cziarz2pk938l4/wish/1289001501     Climate 004158 https://padlet.com/003973/q1cziarz2pk938l4/wish/1293995886
  • Rainfall pattern
    • In grasslands, the amount of rainfall usually depends on the height of the grass, for example short grasses have a lack of rain which causes a dryer climate, for tall grasses more rain falls.
    Grasslands receive about 500-900 (20-35 inches) per year.
    • Water availability
    Grasslands have bodies of water which consist of streams, playa lakes, prairie potholes and vernal pools. Animals in grasslands depend on it, mostly for grazing.
    ]]>     2021-03-10 17:00:18 UTC https://padlet.com/003973/q1cziarz2pk938l4/wish/1293995886     Climate 004158 https://padlet.com/003973/q1cziarz2pk938l4/wish/1296602196
  • Presence or absence of frost
    • The presence of frost in grasslands helps the increase of grass growing, if it was absent it would affect the plant soil which prevents grass from growing and the absence of frost prevents trees from growing.
    • Climate Classification
    In grasslands the climate is usually warm and temperate, lots of rainfall happens throughout the year.
    - The graph below shows the climate of grasslands in South Africa
    ]]>     2021-03-11 06:26:22 UTC https://padlet.com/003973/q1cziarz2pk938l4/wish/1296602196     PHYSIOGRAPHIC & ECONOMIC FACTORS 413624 https://padlet.com/003973/q1cziarz2pk938l4/wish/1299114484 -National parks
    The national grasslands parks around south Africa is golden gate highland national park in the Free State
    -general physical characteristics
    grasslands are characterized as having grasses as the dominant vegetation. Trees and large shrubs are absent. Temperatures vary more from summer to winter, and the amount of rainfall is less in temperate grasslands than in savannas.
    -Reference
    M Boval. (2019). grasslands. Available: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22558923/#:~:text=Grasslands%20clearly%20provide%20the%20feed,%2C%20traction%2C%20fibre%20and%20leather.&text=Inevitably%2C%20such%20functions%20may%20conflict,for%20pr.  Last accessed 10 march 2021.
    unknow. (2019). grassland characteristics. Available: https://www.wwf.org.za/. Last accessed 10 march 2021.






    ]]>     2021-03-11 17:04:37 UTC https://padlet.com/003973/q1cziarz2pk938l4/wish/1299114484     Edaphic Factors 004158 https://padlet.com/003973/q1cziarz2pk938l4/wish/1299187788
  • Type of Soil
    • Grasslands usually have a rich, fertile soil, but it can also change to acidic soil because of so much rainfall.
    • pH
    The pH of a grassland is 6.3, the pH soil is a acid solution. 
    • Reference
    Grassland Agro. (2018). Soil PH; What’s the Scale of the Issue? - Grassland Agro. [online] Available at: https://grasslandagro.ie/soil-ph-the-scale-issue/ [Accessed 11 Mar. 2021].

    South Africa - Soils | Britannica. (2021). In: Encyclopædia Britannica. [online] Available at: https://www.britannica.com/place/South-Africa/Soils [Accessed 11 Mar. 2021].

    ‌
    ]]>     2021-03-11 17:17:02 UTC https://padlet.com/003973/q1cziarz2pk938l4/wish/1299187788     PHYSIOGRAPHIC & ECONOMIC FACTORS 413624 https://padlet.com/003973/q1cziarz2pk938l4/wish/1299320337 -economic importance of a grassland
    The global importance of grasslands is indicated by their extent; they comprise some 26% of total land area and 80% of agriculturally productive land. The majority of grasslands are located in tropical developing countries where they are particularly important to the livelihoods of some one billion poor peoples.
    -The map of the grassland around south Africa

    ]]>     2021-03-11 17:40:57 UTC https://padlet.com/003973/q1cziarz2pk938l4/wish/1299320337     003973 https://padlet.com/003973/q1cziarz2pk938l4/wish/1299519839   - Mammals 
    • Grasslands host a myriad of large mammals on five continents. African and Indian elephants, bison, pronghorn antelopes, giraffes, gazelles, buffalos, kangaroos, zebras and rhinos all roam grasslands in search of vegetation.
    • Carnivorous predators inhabit grasslands in high numbers.
    • The African elephant (Loxodonta africana) is the largest land animal on Earth. 

    ]]>     2021-03-11 18:18:01 UTC https://padlet.com/003973/q1cziarz2pk938l4/wish/1299519839     Refrence 004158 https://padlet.com/003973/q1cziarz2pk938l4/wish/1299551665 Climate-data.org. (2021). Climate KwaZulu-Natal: Temperature, climate graph, Climate table for KwaZulu-Natal - Climate-Data.org. [online] Available at: https://en.climate-data.org/africa/south-africa/kwazulu-natal-569/ [Accessed 10 Mar. 2021].
    meteoblue. (2014). Climate Grasslands. [online] Available at: https://www.meteoblue.com/en/weather/historyclimate/climatemodelled/grasslands_south-africa_1000221 [Accessed 10 Mar. 2021].
    ‌Sciencing. (2018). Temperature and Precipitation in the Temperate Grasslands. [online] Available at: https://sciencing.com/temperature-precipitation-temperate-grasslands-8498038.html [Accessed 10 Mar. 2021].
    Nasa.gov. (2021). Grassland: Mission: Biomes. [online] Available at: https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/biome/biograssland.php [Accessed 10 Mar. 2021].
    Grasslands Weather (2021). Grasslands Weather. [online] WorldWeatherOnline.com. Available at: https://www.worldweatheronline.com/grasslands-weather/free-state/za.aspx [Accessed 11 Mar. 2021].
    Sciencing. (2011). Climate in Temperate Grasslands. [online] Available at: https://sciencing.com/climate-temperate-grasslands-8038155.html [Accessed 11 Mar. 2021].
    ]]>     2021-03-11 18:24:10 UTC https://padlet.com/003973/q1cziarz2pk938l4/wish/1299551665     Endangered Species 003973 https://padlet.com/003973/q1cziarz2pk938l4/wish/1299640405 - Senecio Exuberans (Asteraceae)
     The plant has been categorised as endangered  for a while now but it is not currently formally protected in any nature reserves.
    The plant is located around Kwazulu-Natal.
     - "it is a perennial herb. It has a thickened woody rootstock, it flowers during December and January. It has yellow inflorescences that are borne on the tips of the tall, branched flowering stems." 
    -This species was severely threatened in the past by agriculture and forestry plantations. It was use to make traditional medicine and  it is spread over several five acre plots, most of which contain a house and some of which are also used for grazing horses. ]]>     2021-03-11 18:41:01 UTC https://padlet.com/003973/q1cziarz2pk938l4/wish/1299640405     How can we save the species 003973 https://padlet.com/003973/q1cziarz2pk938l4/wish/1299886825 - The plant has not been formally introduced in the agriculture industry  but cultivation is the only way we can save this species from extinction. 
    -Growing this plant is complicated it's quite easy growing it all you have to is: 
    Plant the seeds in spring and plant them around a sunny place. Scatter the seeds in  well-drained soil, water the pant now then as long as the soil as moisture you good.  

    ]]>     2021-03-11 19:29:02 UTC https://padlet.com/003973/q1cziarz2pk938l4/wish/1299886825     BIOTIC FACTORS REFRENCE LIST 003973 https://padlet.com/003973/q1cziarz2pk938l4/wish/1300133975 Agenbag (2019). Senecio exuberans | PlantZAfrica. [online] Sanbi.org. Available at: http://pza.sanbi.org/senecio-exuberans .
    BirdLife South Africa. (2015). Grasslands. [online] Available at: https://www.birdlife.org.za/iba-directory/grasslands/.
    Jeremy M.B. Smith (2019). grassland | Definition, Animals, Plants, Types, & Facts. In: Encyclopædia Britannica. [online] Available at: https://www.britannica.com/science/grassland.
    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 11 Mar. 2021].
    redlist.sanbi.org. (2010). Threatened Species Programme | SANBI Red List of South African Plants. [online] Available at: http://redlist.sanbi.org/species.php?species=3152-151 [Accessed 11 Mar. 2021].
    Stephens, C. (n.d.). Animals in Grassland Areas. [online] animals.mom.com. Available at: https://animals.mom.com/animals-grassland-areas-5280.html.
    www.greenelandtrust.org. (n.d.). Learn about Grassland Birds - Greene Land Trust. [online] Available at: https://www.greenelandtrust.org/4-projects/education-a-stewardship/31-learn-about-grassland-birds [Accessed 11 Mar. 2021].

     
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