Grassland

(1) Grassland [ Ecology ]

Dictionary of botanic terminology - index of names

A grassland is an ecosystem, such as prairie or meadow, upon which dominate a plant community (biome) in which grasses and low-growing herbs are the most conspicuous members.

Grasslands are found in region in which the climate is dry for long periods of the summer, and cool in the winter, they are characterized by grasses and other erect herbs, usually without or very few trees or shrubs.
Grasslands occur mainly in flat areas in the dry temperate interiors of continents. They constitutes a major world vegetation type occurring where there is sufficient moisture for grass growth and where precipitation is insufficient to support growth of shrublands or forest. Grassland dotted with trees is called Savanna.

The main categories of grassland are:
Temperate grasslands (mid-latitude grasslands): including the Prairie of North America, the Pampa of Argentina, and the steppes of Eurasia.
Tropical and subtropical grasslands: including the tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas.
Montane grasslands: including the high-altitude grasslands located on high mountain ranges around the world.

(2) Grassland [ Landscaping ]


	A grassland is a landscape in which the existing plant cover is dominated by grasses. Like prairies, meadow and savannah.

(3) Grassland [ Geography ]


	A geographic region where vegetation is dominated by grasses.

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Holdfast roots [ Botany ]
Dictionary of botanic terminology - index of names

Some species of climbing plants develop holdfast roots which help to support the vines on trees, walls, and rocks. By forcing their way into minute pores and crevices, they hold the plant firmly in place.

Climbing plants, like the poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans), Boston ivy (Parthenocissus tricuspidata), and trumpet creeper (Campsis radicans), develop holdfast roots which help to support the vines on trees, walls, and rocks. By forcing their way into minute pores and crevices, they hold the plant firmly in place. Usually the Holdfast roots die at the end of the first season, but in some species they are perennial. In the tropics some of the large climbing plants have hold-fast roots by which they attach themselves, and long, cord-like roots that extend downward through the air and may lengthen and branch for several years until they strike the soil and become absorbent roots.

Major references and further lectures:
1) E. N. Transeau “General Botany” Discovery Publishing House, 1994