Temperate+Grasslands+Ecosystem's+Value

=Anthropogenic Value= According to human needs, the temperate grasslands incorporate tremendous value to human consumption since 41 percent of this global biome is substituted for agriculture and 13.5 percent has been modified for human need. This could include urban, industrial, economic or other uses that have a significant impact. (H1). The reason humans use these valuable biomes is mainly due to the deep and nutrient-rich soils that can support an abundance of crops, which are perfect for croplands and pastures. (H2) Subsequently, cows and other domesticated livestock can graze on the plentiful amounts of cultivated producers that flourish from this fertile soil. These grasslands are vital to the nourishment of humans. (H5)

Humans benefit economically from temperate grasslands simply from aesthetic and passive use. This use accounts for roughly $280 million a year in the United States, displaying wildlife diversity such as golden eagles, grouse, pronghorn, elk, etc. Additionally, the grasslands provide spectacular wildflower fields which tourists can gaze at the magnificence. (H4) The Forest Service classifies 20 national grasslands that cover 3.8 million acres of public land in which these grasslands provide much value and are managed for basic needs and goods for human consumption, such as wildlife, water, and agricultural and recreational purposes. Commercially, the most profitable element of temperate grasslands is the seed-grain produced, but other economically important values are the flat ground, soil, and resilience. Some examples of aesthetics and recreational use include the development of houses, public parks, ornamental gardens, and sports stadiums. (H3)
 * Commercial Value **

(H8)

(H9)

(H10)

=Natural Value= Not only do these temperate grasslands provide value for humans, it also has the ability to supply organisms with habitats and natural processes. Some cycles that demonstrate this are the nitrogen cycle and the carbon cycle. These cycles are important because they affect the amount of energy and resources in a biome and in turn affect the health of the organisms and the biome itself. (H6) Pollination and trapping of greenhouse gases is also an important part of a natural grassland due to the fact that there are teeming amounts of grass located in the biome. Species can pollinate plants for free, yet this values up to six billion dollars per year because one-third of the vegetation consumed by humans are pollinated by these species. (H4) The wide number of grassland plants contribute to delaying global warming since they take in carbon dioxide (a major greenhouse gas) and convert it to a useful form of oxygen. This reduces the amount of carbon dioxide trapped, ultimately leading to stabilized and cool temperatures. Temperate grasslands are globally important to the environment due to the fact that they are natural //Carbon Sinks//. Carbon sinks are naturally occurring places where carbon is stored to be transferred to the environment for later use. (H2) Carbon sinks are an important part of the carbon cycle. As mentioned before, the biome also provides much value for the organisms living there and grazing livestock. Native species have well-protected habitats, which maintains species diversity. The soil there is incredibly fertile, due to the dying and recycling of matter. (H3) (H11) =Conclusion= Although the temperate grasslands provide key value to humans and other species, many of these are overlooked and exploited to their maximum. Humans have disturbed around 40.4 percent of the world's temperate grasslands (H7). Based on the provided information, we cannot take these fundamental biomes for granted, and in the next section, we will discuss the human impact on temperate grasslands. Previous Temperate Grassland Home Next