1. Temperate Grassland
Kailey Oakes

2. Precipitation Range
They typically have between 10 and 35 inches of precipitation a year, much of it occurring in the late spring and early summer.
Snow often serves as a reservoir of moisture for the beginning of the growing season.
 Seasonal drought and occasional fires help maintain these grasslands.

3. Temperature Range
Temperate grasslands have hot summers and cold winters.
Summer temperatures can be well over 100 degrees Fahrenheit, while winter temperatures can be as low as -40 degrees Fahrenheit

4. Soil Characteristics 
Temperate grasslands have soils that are nutrient- rich from the growth and decay of deep, many- branched grass roots.
 The rotted roots hold the soil together and provide a food source for living plants. 
The world's most fertile soils underlie the eastern prairies of the U.S., the pampas of South America, and the steppes of Ukraine and Russia.

5. Plant Adaption Grasses are the dominant vegetation.
Seasonal drought, occasional fires and grazing by large mammals all prevent woody shrubs and trees from becoming established. 
Prairie plants have adapted to fires by growing underground storage structures, and having their growth points slightly below ground surface. These roots can also help collect water during drought seasons. The plants die back every winter, but are kept alive from year to year by the underground root system.

6. Animal Adaptions
Small and large mammals have adapted to the open plains that extend over North America, Eurasia, Australia and Africa
Animals on the prairies and in the grasslands are exposed to their predators because of the openness of the landscape. To avoid being attacked or killed these animals had to adapt to their environments in ways that protected them, camouflaged them and allowed them to escape predators.
Small mammals are often burrowing creatures. As a result they can have many holes and burrows to escape into when they are being chased by a predator. They also have shorter limbs and sharper claws and teeth for digging. 
Larger mammals also utilize a camouflage technique.
While small mammals tend to be solid colors, larger animals often have contrasting colors in their fur.

7. Location
Temperate grasslands are located north of the Tropic of Cancer ( degrees North) and south of the Tropic of Capricorn (23.5 degrees South).
The major temperate grasslands include the veldts of Africa, the pampas of South America, the steppes of Eurasia, and the plains of North America.

8. Special Characteristics and sensitivities
Overgrazing by livestock and plowing are the two greatest threats to temperate grasslands.
Since the development of the steel plow much of these grasslands have been converted to agricultural lands because of their rich soil.
Grasslands loss topsoil and nutrients through agriculture and over-grazing. 
Non-native grass species are introduced to grasslands either by accident or on purpose through human migrations can outcompete native grass species and take over
The grasslands go through a dormant and a growing season. During the dormant season, the grasses do not grow due to cold weather. Once the weather warms up in the spring, the grasses start to grow and the grasslands come alive with color.
Temperate grasslands typically exist between deserts and forests where they act as a transitional biome. 

9. Citations: http://www.defenders.org/grasslands/temperate-grasslands
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