THEMATIC SLIDES

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THEMATIC SLIDES
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GRASSLAND
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GRASSLAND

• Narok, Kenya
• Peanut Basin, Senegal
• Revane, Senegal
• Wyperfeld National Park,
• Australia
• Upper Green River,
• United States

Credit World Biomes
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GRASSLAND

• One fifth of the Earth's land surface is
  grassland - a biome found on every continent
  except Antarctica

• Grassland biomes can be found in the middle
  latitudes, in the interiors of continents

• Most of the world's natural grasslands have been
  converted to wheat or corn fields

Sources Earth Observatory
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Conversion of grasslands into agricultureNarok,
Kenya

• 1975 The agricultural expansion is just
  beginning

• 2000 This image shows the degree to which
  farmlands have expanded

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Farmlands abandoned for savannasPeanut Basin,
Senegal
Shows growing patchwork of savannas (greenish
patches)

• 1979 Image shows farmland before being abandoned

• 1999 Hundreds of villages are scattered
  throughout the region to enjoy fallow and grazing
  lands

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Impact of drought and over-grazingRevane,
Senegal

• 1965 Ancient valleys cutting through gravelly
  plateaus, with extensive bushland vegetation

• 1999 The badland phenomenon spread extensively
  along the shallow valley slopes

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Fire a regular occurrence in Wyperfeld
National Park, Australia

• 1973 Vegetation in the Wyperfeld National Park
  is mostly a rich green in the image

• 2000 The dark green areas are now mottled with
  light patches, areas where the ground is bare
  after a burn

• 2004 Significant additional burned areas

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Changing landscape of Upper Green River, United
States
The landscape in 1989
Over 3000 wells (black/white dots) Have been app
roved in the basin, and development is occurri
ng at a rapid rate
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GRASSLAND
One Planet Many People Atlas of Our Changing
Environment
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