Where Grasses Reign: Exploring the World's Temperate Grasslands

11th April, 2024 CHIRANJIT MITRA CHIRANJIT MITRA

What Are They?

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Steppes of Eurasia

[{"selector":"#anim-273f7bbf-4ac9-47ba-a464-597f4346c159 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-27.301824278637444%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ea027aed-3114-40b6-9115-63c571039468","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f0f47b0b-e298-4431-9eea-7c82e1d4fd55","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3a662c8f-e5c8-4b73-88c2-30aa62ac2797","keyframes":{"opacity":[1,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b3cd7402-071c-4e2e-a2db-9c1b19681723","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(3)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Location: Stretching from Hungary to China. Uniqueness: Huge expanse! Home to nomadic herders, Przewalski's horse (last truly wild horse).

North American Prairies

[{"selector":"#anim-e4d24cdb-fba9-40c5-816e-f80dfa2d0a4f [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-26.781722806171448%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0dcb0355-f53b-4e98-bb1b-5a17c1ae0ccc","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1f7b7059-8f8a-47d7-94b5-cd6256ba0d66","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9e9f4ae7-3749-4907-a2b9-796506017154","keyframes":{"opacity":[1,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d8d29b8f-3f57-4198-805b-40970f131147","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(3)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Location: Central US and Canada. Uniqueness: Once roamed by immense bison herds, crucial for pronghorn antelope, prairie dogs.

Pampas of South America

[{"selector":"#anim-b3e7646c-be5c-49e8-805f-c31946066237 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-10.325375711213752%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-85fce0ba-a3a5-458e-a84a-8b3803682678","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ba64163b-af1c-4052-baec-5f59f4053b85","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5912f3cf-1107-4656-a089-b4add01199c9","keyframes":{"opacity":[1,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-591dfe2f-c33f-47af-9d87-1aba7fd8e633","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(3)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Location: Argentina, Uruguay, and Brazil. Uniqueness: Rich soils support agriculture, rheas (ostrich-like birds), iconic gaucho culture.

Veld of South Africa

[{"selector":"#anim-bde984be-b81e-4fa6-a167-13695c3b9e12 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-9.59126524383081%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-53d493da-0aa6-4702-b4fb-a3c9448ad1c6","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-780934de-1368-4bad-9d08-87f221b9f60f","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7cc195ab-e0d5-4315-b3e9-ffeaa155201e","keyframes":{"opacity":[1,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c6c932eb-92b4-4704-b04d-3bf7f11a29de","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(3)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Location: Elevated plateaus in the interior. Uniqueness: Diverse grasses, home to zebras, wildebeest, and threatened rhinos.

Canterbury Plains of New Zealand

[{"selector":"#anim-ceeb6d8f-1c09-4aeb-89e6-8222c7c8a84b [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-24.44900691335651%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0ff0725e-6da5-4244-830b-932d5fa8fb7c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-835ec589-6405-47dd-a32e-5d2db73b3e4a","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e60c9f47-eaa5-4e65-9247-ae088903e720","keyframes":{"opacity":[1,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-336782a7-dcf9-445c-bb7a-1aad01939255","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(3)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Location: East coast of the South Island. Uniqueness: Shaped by introduced grasses for grazing, unique birdlife like the wrybill.

[{"selector":"#anim-bc982d33-e5e7-4c73-b885-e085f76ee0ca [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-26.798006928360323%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-603ca0e5-aaf4-4379-b954-c4a3d22da998","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9864761b-690e-4026-8454-1db76e33ab2b","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Grasslands may look simple, but they hold incredible biodiversity and stories of human connection to the land.