Shortgrass prairie
E51158
Shortgrass prairie is a semi-arid grassland ecosystem of the western Great Plains characterized by low-growing drought-tolerant grasses and sparse tree cover.
Statements (51)
| Predicate | Object |
|---|---|
| instanceOf |
biome subtype
→
grassland ecosystem → temperate grassland → |
| biomeOf |
western Great Plains
→
|
| characterizedBy |
deep-rooted perennial grasses
→
drought-tolerant vegetation → low-growing grasses → semi-arid climate → sparse tree cover → |
| climateType |
semi-arid steppe
→
|
| commonNameOfSpecies |
blue grama
→
buffalograss → |
| comparedTo |
mixed-grass prairie
→
tallgrass prairie → |
| ecosystemService |
carbon storage in soils
→
forage production → habitat provision → soil erosion control → |
| experiences |
large temperature extremes
→
periodic droughts → strong winds → |
| fireRegime |
frequent low-intensity fires
→
|
| hasDominantSpecies |
Bouteloua dactyloides
→
Bouteloua gracilis → |
| hasDominantVegetationType |
short grasses
→
|
| hasSoilType |
aridisol
→
mollisol → |
| hasVegetationHeight |
shorter than mixed-grass and tallgrass prairies
→
|
| landUse |
livestock grazing
→
rangeland → |
| locatedIn |
Canada
→
Great Plains → North America → United States → |
| partOf |
North American Great Plains grassland biome
→
|
| receivesAnnualPrecipitation |
10–20 inches
→
250–500 millimeters → |
| supports |
bison
→
burrowing owls → coyotes → grassland birds → invertebrate diversity → large herbivores → prairie dogs → pronghorn → swift fox → |
| threatenedBy |
cultivation for cropland
→
energy development → fire suppression → invasive plant species → overgrazing → |
Referenced by (1)
| Subject (surface form when different) | Predicate |
|---|---|
|
Great Plains
→
|
contains |