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Benjamin Boster.
Today's episode is from a Wikipedia article titled,
Grassland.
A grassland is an area where the vegetation is dominated by grasses.
However,
Sedge and rush can also be found,
Along with variable proportions of legumes like clover
And other herbs.
Grasslands occur naturally on all continents except Antarctica,
And are found
In most ecoregions of the Earth.
Furthermore,
Grasslands are one of the largest biomes on Earth
And dominate the landscape worldwide.
There are different types of grasslands,
Natural grasslands,
Semi-natural grasslands,
And agricultural grasslands.
They cover 31-69% of the Earth's land area.
Included among the variety of definitions for grasslands are,
Any plant community including harvested forages in which grasses and or legumes make up the
Dominant vegetation,
Terrestrial ecosystems dominated by herbaceous and shrub vegetation
And maintained by fire,
Grazing,
Drought,
And or freezing temperatures,
Region with sufficient average annual precipitation to support grass.
Semi-natural grasslands are a very common subcategory of the grasslands biome.
These can be defined as grasslands existing as a result of human activity,
Mowing or livestock
Grazing,
Where environmental conditions and the species pool are maintained by natural processes.
They can also be described as the following.
Semi-natural grasslands are one of the world's most biodiverse habitats on a small spatial scale.
Semi-natural grasslands belong to the most species-rich ecosystems in the world,
Have been formed over the course of centuries through extensive grazing and mowing,
Without the use of pesticides or fertilizers in modern times.
There are many different types of semi-natural grasslands,
E.
G.
Hay meadows.
The graminoids are among the most versatile life forms.
They became widespread toward the end of
The Cretaceous period,
And coprolites of fossilized dinosaur feces have been found
Containing phytoliths of a variety of grasses that include grasses that are related to the
The appearance of mountains in the western United States during the Miocene and Pliocene epochs,
A period of some 25 million years,
Created a continental climate favorable to the evolution
Of grasslands.
Around 5 million years ago,
During the late Miocene in the New World and the Pliocene
In the Old World,
The first true grasslands occurred.
Existing forest biomes declined,
And grasslands became much more widespread.
It is known that grasslands have existed in Europe
Throughout the Pleistocene.
Following the Pleistocene ice ages with their glacials and
Interglacials,
Grasslands expanded in the hotter,
Drier climates and began to become the dominant
Land feature worldwide.
Since the grasslands have existed for over 1.
8 million years,
There is high variability.
For example,
Steppe tundra dominated in northern and central Europe,
Whereas a higher amount of xerothermic grasslands occurred in the Mediterranean area.
Within temperate Europe,
The range of types is quite wide,
And also became
Unique due to the exchange of species and genetic material between different biomes.
The semi-natural grasslands first appeared when humans started farming.
So,
For the use of agriculture,
Forests got cleared in Europe.
Ancient meadows and pastures
Were the parts that were suitable for cultivation.
The semi-natural grasslands were formed from these
Areas.
However,
There is also evidence for the local persistence of natural grasslands in Europe,
Originally maintained by wild herbivores throughout the pre-Neolithic Holocene.
The removal of the plants by the grazing animals,
And later the mowing farmers,
Led to coexistence of other plant species around.
In the following,
The biodiversity of the plants evolve.
Also,
The species that already lived there adapted to the new conditions.
Most of the grassland areas have been turned to arable fields and disappeared again.
The grasslands permanently became arable cropping fields due to the steady decrease in organic
Matter.
Nowadays,
Semi-natural grasslands are rather located in areas that are unsuitable for
Agricultural farming.
Grasslands dominated by un-sown wild plant communities can be called
Either natural or semi-natural habitat.
Although their plant communities are natural,
Their maintenance depends upon anthropogenic activities,
Such as grazing and cutting regimes.
The semi-natural grasslands contain many species of wild plants,
Including grasses,
Sedges,
Rushes,
And herbs.
25 plant species per 100 square centimeters can be found.
A European record that was found on a meadow in Estonia described 76 species of plants in
One square meter.
Chalk downlands in England can support over 40 species per square meter.
In many parts of the world,
Few examples have escaped agricultural improvement,
Fertilizing,
Weed killing,
Plowing,
Or reseeding.
For example,
Original North American prairie grasslands or lowland wildflower meadows in the
UK are now rare and their associated wild flora equally threatened.
Associated with the wild
Plant diversity of the unimproved grasslands is usually a rich invertebrate fauna.
There are also
Many species of birds that are grassland specialists,
Such as the snipe and the little
Bustard.
Owing to semi-natural grasslands being referred to as one of the most species-rich
Ecosystems in the world and essential habitat for many specialists,
Also including pollinators,
There are many approaches to conservation activities lately.
Agriculturally improved grasslands,
Which dominate modern intensive agricultural landscapes,
Are usually poor in wild plant species due to the original diversity of plants,
Having been destroyed by cultivation and by the use of fertilizers.
Almost 90% of the European semi-natural grasslands do not exist anymore due to political
And economic reasons.
This loss took place during the 20th century.
The ones in western
And central Europe have almost disappeared completely.
There are a few left in northern Europe.
Unfortunately,
A large amount of red-listed species are specialists of semi-natural grasslands
And are affected by the landscape change due to agriculture of the last century.
The original wild plant communities have been replaced by sown monocultures of cultivated
Varieties of grasses and clovers,
Such as perennial ryegrass and white clover.
In many parts of the world,
Unimproved grasslands are one of the most threatened types of habitat
And a target for acquisition by wildlife conservation groups
Or for special grants to landowners who are encouraged to manage them appropriately.
Grassland vegetation can vary considerably depending on the grassland type
And on how strong it is affected by human impact.
In chalk grassland,
The plants can vary from very tall to very short.
Quite tall grasses can be
Found in North American tallgrass prairie,
South American grasslands,
And African savanna.
Woody plants,
Shrubs,
Or trees may occur on some grasslands,
Forming savannas,
Scrubby grassland,
Or semi-wooded grassland,
Such as the African savannas or the Iberian dehesa.
As flowering plants and trees,
Grasses grow in great concentrations in climates
Where annual rainfall ranges between 500 and 900 millimeters.
The root systems of
Perennial grasses and forbs form complex mats that hold the soil in place.
Grasslands support the greatest aggregations of large animals on Earth,
Including jaguars,
African wild hogs,
Pronghorn,
Black-footed ferret,
Plains bison,
Mountain plover,
African elephant,
Sunda tiger,
Black rhino,
White rhino,
Savanna elephant,
Greater one-horned rhino,
Indian elephant,
And swift fox.
Grazing animals,
Herd animals,
And predators in grasslands like
Lions and cheetahs live in the grasslands of the African savanna.
Mites,
Insects,
Larvae,
Nematodes,
And earthworms inhabit deep soil,
Which can reach six meters underground
In undisturbed grasslands on the richest soils of the world.
These invertebrates,
Along with symbiotic fungi,
Extend the root systems,
Break apart hard soil,
Enrich it with
Urea and other natural fertilizers,
Trap minerals and water,
And promote growth.
Some types of fungi make the plants more resistant to insect and microbial attacks.
Grasslands,
In all its form,
Supports a vast variety of mammals,
Reptiles,
Birds,
And insects.
Typical large mammals include the blue wildebeest,
American bison,
Giant anteater,
And Pertz-Wolski's
Horse.
The plants and animals that live in grasslands are connected through an unlimited
Web of interactions.
But the removal of key species,
Such as buffalo and prairie dogs within
The American West,
And introduction of invasive species like cane toads in northern Australia,
Have disrupted the balance in these ecosystems and damaged a number of other species.
Grasslands are home to a number of the foremost magnificent animals on the planet,
Elephants,
Bison,
Lions,
And hunters have found them to be enticing prey.
But when hunting is not controlled or is conducted illegally,
Species can become extinct.
Grasslands provide a range of marketed and non-marketed ecosystem services
That are fundamental to the livelihoods of an estimated 1 billion people globally.
Grasslands hold about 20% of global soil carbon stocks.
Herbaceous,
Non-wooded vegetation
Dominates grasslands,
And unlike forests,
Carbon is stored in the roots and soil underground.
Furthermore,
This above-ground biomass carbon is relatively short-lived due to grazing,
Fire,
And senescence.
In contrast,
Grassland species have an extensive fibrous root system,
With grasses often accounting for 60-80% of the biomass carbon in this ecosystem.
This underground biomass can extend several meters below the surface
And store abundant carbon into the soil,
Resulting in deep,
Fertile soils with high
Organic matter content.
For this reason,
Soil carbon accounts for about 81% of the total
Ecosystem carbon in grasslands.
The close link between soil carbon
And underground biomass leads to similar responses of these carbon pools to fluctuations in annual
Precipitation and temperature on a broad spatial scale.
Because plant productivity is limited by
Grassland precipitation,
Carbon stocks are highest in regions where precipitation is heaviest,
Such as the high grass prairie in the humid temperate region of the United States.
Similarly,
As annual temperatures rise,
Grassland carbon stocks decrease due to increased evapotranspiration.
Grasslands have suffered large losses of organic carbon due to soil disturbances,
Vegetation
Degradation,
Fires,
Erosion,
Nutrient deficiencies,
And water shortages.
The type,
Frequency,
And
Intensity of the disturbances can play a key role in the soil organic carbon,
SOC balance of grasslands.
Bedrock,
Irrigation practices,
Soil,
Acidification,
Liming,
And pasture management
Can all have potential impacts on grassland organic carbon stocks.
Good grassland management can reverse historical soil carbon losses.
The relationship of improved biodiversity with carbon storage is the subject of research.
Grasslands are among the most threatened ecosystems.
Global losses from grassland
Degradation are estimated to be over seven billion dollars per year.
According to the
International Union for the Conservation of Nature,
IUCN,
The most significant threat to
Grasslands is human land use,
Especially agriculture and mining.
The vulnerability
Of grasslands stems from a range of factors such as misclassification,
Poor protection,
And cultivation.
Grasslands have an extensive history of human activity and disturbance.
To feed a growing human population,
Most of the world's grasslands are converted from natural
Landscapes to fields of corn,
Wheat,
Or other crops.
Grasslands that have remained largely
Intact thus far,
Such as the East African savannas,
Are in danger of being lost to agriculture.
Grasslands are very sensitive to disturbances,
Such as people hunting and killing key species,
Or plowing the land to make more space for farms.
Grassland vegetation is often a plagioclimax.
It remains dominant in a particular area,
Usually due to grazing,
Cutting,
Or natural or man-made fires,
All discouraging colonization by
And survival of tree and shrub seedlings.
Some of the world's largest expanses of grassland
Are found in the African savanna,
And these are maintained by wild herbivores,
As well as by nomadic pastoralists and their cattle,
Sheep,
Or goats.
Grasslands have an impact on climate change by slower decomposition rates of litter compared to
Forest environments.
Grasslands may occur naturally or as a result of human activity.
Hunting cultures around the world often set regular fires to maintain and extend grasslands
And prevent fire-intolerant trees and shrubs from taking hold.
The tall grass prairies in the U.
S.
Midwest may have been extended eastward into Illinois,
Indiana,
And Ohio by human agency.
Much grassland in northwest Europe developed after the Neolithic
Period,
When people gradually cleared the forest to create areas for raising their livestock.
Grasslands often occur in areas where the annual precipitation is between
600 mm and 1500 mm,
And average mean annual temperatures range from
Negative 5 and 20 degrees Celsius.
However,
Some grasslands occur in colder and hotter climate
Conditions.
Grasslands can exist in habitats that are frequently disturbed by grazing or fire,
As such disturbance prevents the encroachment of woody species.
Species richness is particularly high in grasslands of low soil fertility,
Such as serpentine barrens and calcareous grasslands,
Where woody encroachment is
Prevented as low nutrient levels in the soil may inhibit the growth of forests and shrub species.
Another common predicament often experienced by the ill-fated grassland creatures
Is the constant burning of plants fueled by oxygen and many expired photosynthesizing organisms,
With the lack of rain pushing this problem to further heights.
When not limited by other factors,
Increasing CO2 concentration in the air increases plant growth,
Similarly as water use efficiency,
Which is very important in drier regions.
However,
The advantages of elevated CO2 are limited by factors including water availability
And available nutrients,
Particularly nitrogen.
Thus,
Effects of elevated CO2 on plant growth
Will vary with local climate patterns,
Species adaptations to water limitations,
And nitrogen availability.
Studies indicate that nutrient depletion may happen faster in drier
Regions and with factors like plant community composition and grazing.
Nitrogen deposition
From air pollutants and increased mineralization from higher temperatures can increase plant
Productivity,
But increases are often among a discount in biodiversity as faster-growing plants
Outcompete others.
A study of a California grassland found that global change by speed
Reductions in diversity and forb species are most prone to this process.
Misguided afforestation
Efforts,
For example as part of the global effort to increase carbon sequestration,
Can harm grasslands and their core ecosystem services.
Forest-centric restoration efforts can create the risk of misreading and misclassifying of landscapes.
A map created by the World Resources Institute in collaboration with the IUCN
Identifies 2 billion hectares for potential forest restoration.
It is criticized for building 900 million hectares of grassland.
It is expected that non-native grasses will continue to outperform native species under
Warmer and drier conditions that occur in many grasslands due to climate change.
The type of land management used in grasslands can also lead to grassland loss,
Degradation.
Many grasslands and other open ecosystems depend on disturbances such as
Wildfires,
Controlled burns,
And or grazing to persist,
Although this subject is still controversial.
A study in Brazilian subtropical highland grasslands found that grasslands without
Traditional land management,
Which uses fire every two years and extensive cattle grazing,
Can disappear within 30 years.
A study showed that grasslands inside protected areas in which
Fire is not allowed and cattle grazing is banned,
Grasslands were quickly replaced by shrubs.
Land cover has always changed during the years.
The following relates to the changes between 1960
And 2015.
There has been a decrease in semi-natural grasslands and an increase in
Areas with arable land,
Forest,
And land use for infrastructure and buildings.
The line style and
Relative thickness of the lines indicates the percentage of the total area that changed.
Changes less than one percent and land cover classes with all changes less than one percent
Are not included.
In 1960 most of the land,
49.
7 percent,
Was covered with forest and there was
Also more semi-natural grassland than arable land.
In 2015 this has changed drastically.
The forest cover has increased and arable land is also increased,
But the semi-natural grassland
Cover has decreased,
Although it still covers a large area of the earth.
A quarter of semi-natural
Grassland was lost through intensification,
I.
E.
It was converted into arable or pasture land and
Forests.
It is more likely that intensification will occur in flat semi-natural grasslands,
Especially if the soil is fertile.
On the other hand,
Grasslands where the land is drought-prone
Or less productive are more likely to persist as semi-natural grasslands than grasslands with
Fertile soil and low gradient of the terrain.
Furthermore,
The accessibility of the land is
Also important as it is then easier to fertilize,
For example.
For instance,
If it is located near
A road,
With the development of technology it is becoming increasingly easy to cultivate land
With a steeper gradient to the detriment of grasslands.
The management of grasslands is
Also changing permanently.
There is increased use of mineral fertilizers,
Furthermore borders and
Field edges are removed to enlarge fields and leveling the terrain to facilitate the use of
Agricultural machinery.
The professional study of dry grasslands falls under the category of
Rangeland management,
Which focuses on ecosystem services associated with the grass-dominated
Arid and semi-arid rangelands of the world.
Rangelands account for an estimated 70% of the
Earth's landmass.
Thus,
Many cultures,
Including those of the United States,
Are indebted to the
Economics that the world's grasslands have to offer,
From producing grazing animals,
Tourism,
Ecosystem services,
Such as clean water and air and energy extraction.
Vast areas of grassland are affected by woody encroachment,
Which is the expansion of woody
Plants at the expense of the herbaceous layer.
Woody encroachment is caused by a combination of
Human impact,
E.
G.
Fire exclusion,
Overstocking and resulting overgrazing,
And environmental factors,
I.
E.
Increased CO2 levels in the atmosphere.
It can have severe negative consequences on
Key ecosystem services,
Like land productivity and groundwater recharge.
Despite growing recognition of the importance of grasslands,
Understanding of restoration options
Remains limited.
Cost of grassland restoration is highly variable and respective data is scarce.
Successful grassland restoration has several dimensions,
Including recognition and policy,
Standardization of indicators of degradation,
Scientific innovation,
Knowledge transfer and
Data sharing.
Restoration methods and measures include the following.
Prescribed fires,
Appropriate management of livestock and wild herbivores.
In light of land use intensification
Caused by global food demand,
Grassland land use practices may need to be adjusted to better
Support key ecosystem services.
Tree cutting,
Shrub removal,
Invasive species control,
Reintroduction of native grasses and forbs via seeding or transplant.
A main challenge for grassland restoration is how to overcome seed limitation.
For the period 2021 to 2030,
The United Nations General Assembly has proclaimed the UN Decade on
Restoration,
Involving a joint resolution by over 70 countries.
It is led by the United
Nations Environment Program and the Food and Agriculture Organization.
Grassland types by Schimper,
1898-1903.
Meadow,
Hygrophilous or Tropophilous grassland.
Steppe,
Xerophilous grassland.
Savannah,
Xerophilous grassland containing isolated trees.
Grassland types by Ellenberg and Muller-Dumbois,
1967.
Formation class 5,
Terrestrial herbaceous
Communities.
1.
Savannas and related grasslands,
Tropical or subtropical grasslands and parklands.
2.
Steppes and related grasslands,
E.
G.
North American prairies,
Etc.
3.
Meadows,
Pastures or related grasslands.
4.
Sedge swamps and flushes.
5.
Herbaceous and half-woody salt swamps.
6.
Forb vegetation.
Grassland types by Laycock,
1979.
1.
Tall grass,
True prairie.
2.
Short grass,
Prairie.
3.
Mixed grass,
Prairie.
4.
Shrub steppe.
5.
Annual grassland.
6.
Desert arid grassland.
7.
High mountain grassland.
These grasslands can be classified as the tropical and subtropical grasslands,
Savannas,
And shrublands biome.
The rainfall level for that grassland type is between 90 and
100 cm per year.
Grasses and scattered trees are common for that ecoregion,
As well as large mammals
Such as wildebeest and zebra.
Notable tropical and subtropical grasslands include the Llanos
Grasslands of South America,
Temperate,
Mid-latitude grasslands including the prairie
And pacific grasslands of North America,
The pampas of Argentina,
Brazil,
And Uruguay,
Calcareous downland,
And the steppes of Europe.
They are classified with temperate
Savannas and shrublands as the temperate grasslands,
Savannas,
And shrublands biome.
Temperate grasslands are the home to many large herbivores such as bison,
Gazelles,
Zebras,
Rhinoceroses,
And wild horses.
Carnivores like lions,
Wolves,
Cheetahs,
And
Leopards are also found in temperate grasslands.
Other animals of this region include deer,
Prairie dogs,
Mice,
Jackrabbits,
Skunks,
Coyotes,
Snakes,
Foxes,
Owls,
And other wild animals.
Badgers,
Blackbirds,
Grasshoppers,
Meadowlarks,
Sparrows,
Quails,
Hawks,
And hyenas.
Flooded.
Grasslands that are flooded seasonally or year-round like the Everglades of Florida,
The Pantanal of Brazil,
Bolivia,
And Paraguay,
Or the Esteros de Libera in Argentina,
Are classified with flooded savannas as the flooded grasslands and savannas biome,
And occur mostly in the tropics and subtropics.
The species that live in these grasslands are
Well adapted to the hydrologic regimes and soil conditions.
The Everglades,
The world's largest
Rain-fed flooded grassland,
Is rich in 11,
000 species of seed-bearing plants,
25 species of
Orchids,
300 bird species,
And 150 fish species.
Water meadows are grasslands that are deliberately
Flooded for short periods.
Montane.
High-altitude grasslands located on high mountain ranges around
The world,
Like the Páramo of the Andes Mountains.
They are part of the montane grasslands and
Shrublands biome,
And can be tropical,
Subtropical,
And temperate.
The plants and animals that can be
Found in the tropical montane are able to adapt to cool,
Wet conditions,
As well as intense sunlight.
Tundra grasslands.
Similar to montane grasslands,
Polar arctic tundra can have grasses,
But high soil moisture means that few tundras are grass-dominated today.
However,
During the Pleistocene glacial periods,
Commonly referred to as ice ages,
A grassland known as steppe tundra or mammoth steppe occupied large areas of the northern
Hemisphere.
These areas were very cold and arid,
And featured subsurface permafrost,
Hence tundra,
But were nevertheless productive grassland ecosystems supporting a wide variety of fauna.
As the temperature increased and the climate became wetter at the beginning of the Holocene,
Much of the mammoth steppe transitioned to forest,
While the drier parts in central
Eurasia remained as a grassland,
Becoming the modern Eurasian steppe.
Desert and xeric.
Also called desert grasslands,
They are composed of sparse grassland ecoregions
Located in the deserts and xeric shrublands biome.
Temperature extremes and low amount of rainfall
Characterize these kinds of grasslands.
Therefore,
Plants and animals are well adapted to minimize
Water loss.
The grassland ecoregions of the temperate grasslands,
Savannas,
And shrublands
Biome are afrotropical temperate grasslands,
Savannas,
And shrublands ecoregions.
Al-Hajjar
Montane woodlands.
Oman,
United Arab Emirates.
Amsterdam and Saint Paul Islands temperate
Grasslands.
Amsterdam Island,
Saint Paul Island.
Tristan da Cunha Gulf Islands shrub and grasslands.
Tristan da Cunha Gulf Island.
Australasian temperate grasslands,
Savannas,
And shrublands
Ecoregions.
Canterbury-Otago-Tussock grasslands,
New Zealand.
Southeast Australian temperate savanna,
Australia.
Southwest Australia savanna,
Australia.
Neartic temperate grasslands,
Savannas,
And shrublands ecoregions.
California Central Valley
Grasslands,
United States.
Canadian aspen forests and parklands,
Canada,
United States.
Central and
Southern mixed grasslands,
United States.
Central forest grasslands transition,
United States.
Central tall grasslands,
United States.
Columbia Plateau,
United States.
Edwards Plateau savanna,
United States.
Flint Hills tall grasslands,
United States.
Montana Valley and foothill grasslands,
United States.
Nebraska Sandhills mixed grasslands,
United States.
Northern mixed grasslands,
Canada,
United States.
Northern short grasslands,
Canada,
United States.
Northern tall grasslands,
Canada,
United States.
Palouse grasslands,
United States.
Texas blackland prairies,
United States.
Western short grasslands,
United States.
Neotropical temperate grasslands,
Savannas,
And shrublands ecoregions.
Argentine espinal,
Argentina.
Argentine monte,
Argentina.
Humid pompas,
Argentina,
Uruguay.
Patagonian grasslands,
Argentina,
Chile,
United Kingdom,
Falkland Islands.
Patagonian steppe,
Argentina,
Chile,
United Kingdom,
Falkland Islands.
Semi-arid pompas,
Argentina.
Palearctic temperate grasslands,
Savannas,
And shrublands ecoregion.
Alliwestern Taian Shan steppe,
Kazakhstan,
Tajikistan,
Uzbekistan.
Altai steppe and semi-desert,
Kazakhstan.
Central Anatolian steppe,
Turkey.
Daurian forest steppe,
China,
Mongolia,
Russia.
Eastern Anatolian montane steppe,
Armenia,
Azerbaijan,
Georgia,
Iran,
Turkey.
Emin valley steppe,
China,
Kazakhstan.
Faroe Islands boreal grasslands,
Faroe Islands,
Denmark.
Chisaro-Alai open woodlands,
Kyrgyzstan,
Tajikistan,
Uzbekistan.
Kazakh forest steppe,
Kazakhstan,
Russia.
Kazakh steppe,
Kazakhstan,
Russia.
Kazakh uplands,
Kazakhstan.
Mongolian-Manchurian grasslands,
China,
Mongolia,
Russia.
Pontic steppe,
Kazakhstan,
Moldova,
Romania,
Russia,
Ukraine,
Bulgaria.
Sayan intermontane steppe,
Russia.
Selenge-Orkan forest steppe,
Mongolia,
Russia.
South Siberian forest steppe,
Russia.
Syrian-Zirak grasslands and shrublands,
Iraq,
Jordan,
Syria.
Tian Shan foothill arid steppe,
China,
Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan.
Afrotropical,
Tropical and subtropical grasslands,
Savannas and shrublands ecoregions.
Angolan-Mayombo woodlands,
Angola.
Angola-Mopane woodlands,
Angola,
Namibia.
Ascension scrub and grasslands,
Ascension Island.
Central Zambesian-Mayombo woodlands,
Angola,
Burundu,
Democratic Republic of the Congo,
Malawi,
Tanzania,
Zambia.
East Sudanian savanna,
Cameroon,
Central African Republic,
Chad,
Democratic Republic of the Congo,
Eritrea,
Ethiopia,
South Sudan,
Sudan,
Uganda.
Eastern Mayombo woodlands,
Mozambique,
Tanzania.
Guinean forest savanna mosaic,
Benin,
Burkina Faso,
Cameroon,
Gambia,
Ghana,
Guinea,
Guinea-Bissau,
Ivory Coast,
Nigeria,
Senegal,
Togo.
Itigi-Sumbu thicket,
Tanzania,
Zambia.
Kalahari-Acacia-Bikia woodlands,
Botswana,
Namibia,
South Africa,
Zimbabwe.
Mandara Plateau mosaic,
Cameroon,
Nigeria.
Northern Acacia-Comafora bushlands and thickets,
Ethiopia,
Kenya,
South Sudan,
Uganda.
Northern Congolian forest savanna mosaic,
Cameroon,
Central African Republic,
Democratic Republic of the Congo,
South Sudan,
Uganda.
Sahelian Acacia savanna,
Burkina Faso,
Cameroon,
Chad,
Eritrea,
Ethiopia,
Mali,
Mauritania,
Niger,
Nigeria,
Senegal,
South Sudan,
Sudan.
Serengeti volcanic grasslands,
Kenya,
Tanzania.
Somali Acacia-Comafora bushlands and thickets,
Eritrea,
Ethiopia,
Kenya,
Somalia.
South Arabian fog woodlands,
Shrublands,
And dune,
Oman,
Saudi Arabia,
Yemen.
Southern Acacia-Comafora bushlands and thickets,
Kenya,
Tanzania.
Southern Africa bushveld,
Botswana,
South Africa,
Zimbabwe.
Southern Congolian forest savanna mosaic,
Angola,
Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Southern Miombo woodlands,
Malawi,
Mozambique,
Zambia,
Zimbabwe.
Saint Helena scrub and woodlands,
Saint Helena.
Victoria Basin forest savanna mosaic,
Burundi,
Democratic Republic of the Congo,
Ethiopia,
Kenya,
Rwanda,
South Sudan,
Tanzania,
Uganda.
West Sudanian savanna,
Benin,
Burkina Faso,
Gambia,
Ghana,
Guinea,
Mali,
Ivory Coast,
Niger,
Nigeria,
Senegal.
Western Congolian forest savanna mosaic,
Angola,
Democratic Republic of the Congo,
Republic of the Congo.
Western Zambezian grasslands,
Angola,
Zambia.
Zambezian and Mopane woodlands,
Botswana,
Eswatini,
Malawi,
Mozambique,
Nambia,
South Africa,
Zambia,
Zimbabwe.
Zambezian Baikia woodlands,
Angola,
Botswana,
Namibia,
Zambia,
Zimbabwe.
Australasian tropical and subtropical grasslands,
Savannas and shrublands,
Ecoregions.
Arnhem Land Tropical Savanna,
Australia.
Brigolau Tropical Savanna,
Australia.
Cape York Peninsula Tropical Savanna,
Australia.
Carpentaria Tropical Savanna,
Australia.
Inalai Upland Savanna,
Australia.
Kimberley Tropical Savanna,
Australia.
Mitchell Grass Downs,
Australia.
Transfly Savanna and Grasslands,
Indonesia,
Papua New Guinea.
Victoria Plains Tropical Savanna,
Australia.
Indomalayan Tropical and Subtropical Grasslands,
Savannas and Shrublands,
Ecoregions.
Terai Dewar Savanna and Grasslands,
Bhutan,
India,
Nepal.
Neartic Tropical and Subtropical Grasslands,
Savannas and Shrublands,
Ecoregions.
Western Gulf Coastal Grasslands,
Mexico,
United States.
Neotropical,
Tropical and Subtropical Grasslands,
Savannas and Shrublands,
Ecoregions.
Beni Savanna,
Bolivia.
Campos Rupestres,
Brazil.
Cerrado,
Bolivia,
Brazil,
Paraguay.
Clipperton Island Shrub and Grasslands.
Clipperton Island is an overseas territory of France.
Cordoba Montane Savanna,
Argentina.
Guiana Savanna,
Brazil,
Guyana,
Venezuela.
Guinan Savanna,
Brazil,
Guyana,
Venezuela.
Gran Chaco,
Argentina,
Brazil,
Paraguay,
Bolivia.
Llanos,
Venezuela,
Colombia.
Uruguayan Savanna,
Argentina,
Brazil,
Uruguay.
Oceanian Tropical and Subtropical Grasslands,
Savannas and Shrublands,
Ecoregions.
Hawaiian Tropical High Shrublands,
Hawaii.
Hawaiian Tropical Low Shrublands,
Hawaii.
Northwestern Hawaii Scrubs,
Hawaii,
Midway Atoll.
