Mapping global grassland ecosystems: A comparison of four data sets

Abstract

Grassland ecosystems have broad global geographic distribution, occurring in tropical and temperate latitudes and from near sea level to high mountain slopes. The author lists the areas by continent of the world's grasslands as depicted in four global land cover data sets. Grasslands, by definition, include regions where the dominant vegetative cover is herbaceous. Functionally, they include managed rangelands and pastures. These ecosystems have been experiencing alterations such as changes in productivity, desertification, influx of exotic species, and conversion to agriculture. Some of the largest temperate grassland areas have been subjected to broad-scale land use conversion. For example, the central plains of North America have been largely converted into the "world's most productive dryland wheat region". Grassland regions exhibit sensitivity to changes in environmental conditions. For example, the boundaries between grasslands and other vegetation types, as well as between different grassland types, on the North American plains are subject to change based on factors such as available exhibit sensitivity to changes in moisture, precipitation, length of growing season, or maximum temperature within the growing season. In global climate change scenarios, there are predicted changes for such environmental factors, however the magnitude and location for the changes are as yet unclear. In some cases, climate changes coupled with the human-induced changes of grasslands are expected to intensify such processes as desertification or degradation.