Grassland

biome · plants · ecosystems · wide open spaces

Grasses rule here. Grasslands are covered mainly by grasses, but you'll also find sedges, rushes, clover, and other herbs mixed in. These tough plants thrive in places that don't get enough rain for forests but get enough to avoid being deserts.

Massive biome. Grasslands are one of the largest biomes on Earth, covering between 31 to 69 percent of all the land on our planet. That means grasslands are almost as big as all the forests combined!

Found everywhere. Grasslands show up naturally on every continent on Earth except Antarctica, which is too frozen and snowy. You can find them in tropical places, temperate zones, and even near deserts.

Three types exist. There are natural grasslands that form on their own, semi-natural grasslands shaped a bit by humans over time, and agricultural grasslands where people grow crops or raise animals.

Home to wildlife. Grasslands support incredible animals like lions, zebras, bison, and prairie dogs that have adapted to life on open plains without many trees.