By Subrata Mukherjee
In love with Golapi, Subratagolapi.
Grasslands are areas where the vegetation is dominated by grasses belongs to family Poaceae though sedge in the family Cyperaceae and rush of the family Juncaceae are also found in the Grasslands . This grassland naturally is found in all the continents except Antarctica . Grasslands are one of the largest biomes on earth and dominate the major landscape of the earth.
Grass lands can be categorised in to :
1. Natural grasslands
2. Semi-natural grasslands.
3. Agricultural grasslands.
Grassland covers approximately 30–45% of the land area of the earth.
Grass lands can be defined as :—
“A plant community including harvested forages and biomes in which grasses and legumes consist of the dominant vegetation.”
Schimper classified the grasslands in to :-
A. Meadow (hygrophilous or tropophilous grassland)
B. Steppe (xerophilous grassland)
C. Savannah (xerophilous grassland containing isolated trees)Grasslands dominated by unsown wild-plant communities.
Although their plant communities are natural their growth and survival 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.
Agriculturally improved grasslands dominate modern intensive agricultural landscapes and 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.
There are a few left in Northern Europe and these are the major causes of concern for the ecological imbalance for the extinction of many species of plants and animals.
Almost 90% of the European semi-natural grasslands have been wiped out due to political and economic reasons. This loss only took place during the beginning of 21st century. The grasslands in Western and Central Europe have almost disappeared completely.
The New World (Natun Prithibi)
….to be continued.
The writer is the Editor of The New World (Natun Prithibi)
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