CE3006

ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES IN CIVIL ENGINEERING

Presentation by
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

B110576CE- Abdhul Khadhir S H

B110307CE- Anilkumar P M
B110584CE- George Joseph
B110286CE- Jestin John
B110129CE- K Joel Johny

Grasslands
Types, characteristic features and structure and functions

What is an ecosystem?

Ecosystem is a system of living things that

interact with each other and with the
physical world.

Types of Ecosystem
1.
2.
3.
4.

Forest
Grasslands
Deserts, and
Aquatic ecosystems

Grassland
(a)

Climagraph for Tehran, Iran. (b) Grasses are better able to withstand low
water levels than are trees. Therefore, in areas that have moderate rainfall,
grasses are the dominant plants.
5

Introduction
Grasslands are areas where the vegetation is
dominated by grasses.
Grassland biomes are large, rolling terrains of grasses,
flowers and herbs or they are characterized as lands
dominated by grasses rather than large shrubs or trees

Introduction
Cover areas where rainfall is usually low and/or
the soil depth and quality is poor.
A large open area of country covered with grass
Occur naturally on all continents except Antarctica
Found in most Ecoregions of the Earth.
Degrading due to human induced modification
(overgrazing ,fire ,agriculture etc.)
Provide livelihoods for many people

Usage of Grasslands
Importance

of grass land
Grasslands

Livestock
feed

Erosion
control

Turf.

Other dairy products

Food source

Milk
8

How to classify grassland ecosystem?

What are the major classifications?

Types of Grassland ecosystem

1.

Tropical and subtropical

2.

Temperate

3.

Flooded

4.

Montane

5.

Tundra

6.

Desert

10

1. Tropical and subtropical

Nearest to the equator.

Very hot or warm throughout the year

Warm all year round with established rainy and dry seasons.
During the rainy season, tropical grasslands receive between
50 and 130 centimeters of rain.
Grasslands are dominated by grass and other herbaceous plants

Most notable of the tropical grasslands is the African savanna

11

2. Temperate

Far away from the equator, with rough winters and hot
summers.

Two seasons - growing and dormant.

During the dormant season, no grass or crops grow
because it's too cold. These grasslands make for excellent
farming because of their deep and nutrient-rich soils.

12

2. Temperate( cntd.)

Temperate grasslands receive between 25 and 75

centimeters of rain a year.

The most notable temperate grasslands are the North

American prairies, which are home to a wide variety of
wildlife, including pronghorn antelope, mice, jack rabbits,
foxes, snakes and coyotes.

13

3. Flooded Type

Grasslands that are flooded seasonally or year-round.

Common to four of the continents on Earth are large

expanses or complexes of flooded grasslands.

These areas support numerous plants and animals adapted to

the unique hydrologic regimes and soil conditions.

Everglades of Florida, the Pantanal of Brazil.

14

4. Montane

High-altitude grasslands located on high mountain

ranges around the world.
like the Paramo of the Andes Mountains. They are part of
the montane grasslands and shrublands biome and also
constitute tundra.

5. Tundra

Similar to montane grasslands, polar arctic tundra can have

grasses, but high soil moisture means that few tundra's are
grass-dominated today.
Tundra occurs at high enough altitude at any latitude.

15

6. Desert
Deserts shrublands receive an annual average rainfall
of ten inches or less, and have an arid or hyperarid
climate
characterized by a strong moisture deficit.
characterized by warm, humid summers with moderate
rain and cold, dry winters.
Populations of trees, shrubs, and succulents are kept at
low levels by periodic fires during the dry season.

16

Structure of grass lands

1.Tropical grassland/Savanna

Most of them are located in the interior part of continents.

Has a tropical continental climate with wet and dry

seasons come alternately.

Warm throughout the year and rainfall only occurs in the

Monsoon.

Rainfall increases when it is closer to the rain forest areas .

17

Composed of scattered trees and tall uniform grasses.

The appearances of savannas change seasonally,
Green in colour in wet seasons and turn golden-brown
in dry seasons.
Trees are only found along rivers in the savanna.

18

2.Temperate Grasslands

Temperate grasslands are located in the mid-latitudes.

The appearances in winter are generally brown in

colour because grasses turn dry in winter.

Temperate grasslands have warm, humid summers with

an average temperature of 18 C (cooler than savannas)

divided into tall-grass areas and short-grass areas.

Tall grasses that are taller than 2m are usually found in
wetter regions while short grasses that are shorter than
60 cm can be found in drier regions.
19

There are six large areas of temperate grassland:

1. The Pampas in South America,
2. The Veld in Africa,
3. The Canterbury Plains in New Zealand,
4. The Murray-Darling Basin in Australia,
5. The Prairies in North America and
6. The Steppes in Central Asia.

20

Grassland ecosystem

21

Is there any special classification of

grassland ecosystem in India?
YES / NO
YES

22

Types of Grasslands in India

1.
2.
3.
4.

Himalayan Pastures
Terai Grassland
Shola Grassland
Semi-arid Planes

23

1. Himalayan Pastures
Just below the snowline
Summer habitat for Himalayan Wildlife
Source of Medicinal plants

24

2.Terai Grasslands
Water logged areas of the Sal forests in the
Himalayan foothills
Tall grasslands, with grasses of about
5meters high

25

3. Shola Grasslands
Patches on the hill slopes of Western Ghats,
Nilgiris and Annamalayi ranges
Assumed to be formed due to deforestation
by early herders shifting agriculturists

26

4.Semi-arid Plains
Dry regions of Western India, Central India
and Deccan
Flora : Thorn forests
Fauna : Insects, Insectivorous birds and
several mammals adapted to arid
conditions

27

What are the components of a grassland ecosystem?

1.Abiotic components
2. Biotic Components

28

Components of Grass land Ecosystem

1.Abiotic components

Non-living features of the ecosystem that the living

organisms depend on.
Each abiotic component influences the number and variety
of plants that grow in an ecosystem
The four major abiotic components are:
1. climate,
2. parent material and soil profile
3. topography, and
4. natural disturbances.
16

1.Climate
Includes rainfall, temperature and wind patterns
Temperature, in tandem with precipitation, determines
whether grasslands, forests, or some combination of these two,
form.
The climate in our grassland ecosystems is usually hot and dry
in the spring and summer growing season, and cool or cold in
winter dormant season.

2. Parent Material and Soil

Grassland soils developed on the glacial deposited by the ice
as it melted 12,000 to 10,000 years ago.
These soils have a deep organic-rich layer due to the
breakdown of the roots and plant material each year.

30

The organic layer increases in depth with increases in

elevation and moisture
Geological material that lies on top of the bedrock and is
the foundation on which soil has developed.
Soil develops in the upper portion of the parent material
Soil is a mixture of: a)minerals
b)organic matter
c)water and
d)air.
Grasslands have a rich layer of organic matter that forms
the top surface of the soil.

31

3. Topography
Is

the variety of shapes found on the landscape

determined by slopes, elevation and aspects.

Main

components are : Slope and Elevation

1.

The slope of an area is the angle at which the land lies.

2.

Elevation describes the height of land above sea level.

(Temperatures are generally cooler and rainfall is
higher as elevation is gained.)

32

4. Natural Disturbance

Natural Disturbances change grasslands in many ways, adding

to the diversity of these ecosystems.

The amount of water that flows down from the mountains and
hills may rise very suddenly if:

1.

the snow is deeper than normal

2.

high temperatures cause the snow to melt very fast

3.

there are heavy rainfalls on the snow

4.

The flooding waters can alter stream and river banks and
move soil, broken trees and shrubs downstream.

.Lightning

storms are a common sight on a dry summer

evening in the grassland areas
33

2. Biotic Components

Living organisms that exist in the system.

These organisms can be classified as
1. producers,
2. consumers and
3. decomposers.

Soil is a vital link between the biotic and abiotic parts

of a grassland ecosystem.

34

Producers are able to capture the suns energy through

photosynthesis and absorb nutrients from the soil

Grasses, shrubs, trees, mosses, lichens, and cyanobacteria

are some of the many producers found in a grassland
ecosystem.

Consumers are organisms that do not have the ability to

capture the energy produced by the sun

Decomposers include the insects, fungi, algae and

bacteria
35

Animals in Grasslands

Grassland is not only made up of plants, it

includes several animals like

Centipedes

Earthworms

Greenflies Millipedes

Moles

Ladybirds

Snails

Greenflies

36

What are the functions of grassland Ecosystem?

37

Functions of grassland Ecosystem

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

Landscape formation function

Populate the area
Recreation function
Biodiversity
Anti-erosive function
Improve of soil fertility
Reversible utilization of agricultural land
Filtration function
Protection and improve of quality atmosphere
Aesthetic function
38

Landscape formation

Populate the area

39

 Recreation function

Biodiversity

40

Anti-erosive function

Improve of soil fertility

41

Reversible utilization
of Agricultural land

Filtration function
42

Protection and improve

of quality atmosphere

Aesthetic function

43

Present Scenario of Grassland ecosystem

What

are threats to grassland ecosystem?

If grasslands disappear???
How to conserve?

44

Q: What are threats to grassland ecosystem?

Main threats are due to Human activities, it

can be listed as:
1. Ecological losses
2. Fire hazards
3. Deterioration and Degradation

Grasslands

Irrigation

Sugar cane
farm

Many years

Ecological losses flow diagram

Saline and
useless land

Long Term
economical and
ecological losses
45

 Deterioration

and Degradation
Grassland have limited ability to support animals and
wildlife.
Increasing the pressure by increase in no of animals
reduces the naturalness.
naturalness leads to Deterioration.
Degradation is due to over-grazing cattle, sheep and
goats are occurs more than critical number.(over
utilization)
Animals overgraze the area
flat stubs

Fire

hazards
Formation of waste lands
46

If grasslands disappear???
We will loose highly-specialized ecosystem
Local people will not be able to support
their livestock herds.
Reduction in food sources

47

Conservation of grasslands
Rotational grassland pattern
Fire prevention
Soil and water management@catchement level
Treatments for each plants and animals
What we should do?
1. Awareness programs
2. Keeping grasslands alive should be made a national
priority.
3. Creating natural parks and sanctuaries.
4. Special care towards rare animals and plants.

48

We do not inherit the earth from our

ancestors; we borrow it from our children

THANKS
49