Biodiversity in the Grassland

A vibrant grassland will display the following features, each of which is interconnected to the others:

• an abundance of various species of grass and yes, weeds
  

• bodies of water

• mineral cycle

• covered soil (no bare spots)

• abundant soil life such as worms, beetles and microbes

• insects, birds, rodents, and larger wildlife

• and perhaps sheep grazing in the grass!

While we do not have to understand these cycles and connections in depth to graze sheep, it is wise to have a grasp of them in order to discover how we influence these cycles with our current grazing practices.

When there is an abundance of different plant species, animals grazing will do so more effectively and be healthier for it. They will have a variety to eat and by eating a variety will lessen the possibility of one species of plant becoming dominant in that grassland ecosystem.

When there is an abundance of various grass species present, the soil will have more plant cover. With more plant cover, what moisture falls from the sky is efficiently used.

Plants shade the soil from the sun and physically prevent the water from evaporating or running off. This allows more opportunity for the moisture to travel to the plants and through the soil where it is needed.

Plant cover and more moisture being retained in the soil equates to less soil erosion.

With rainfall being captured the water table can be maintained at an adequate level and wetlands will continue to contain water.

When the water table is maintained and wetlands hold water the land will fair better through years of drought. Drought is often a concern in Prairie grasslands and North American grasslands.

When there is more plant cover on top of the soil there is more root mass within the soil. This root mass creates cohesion in the soil and allows moisture and air to travel through it. This moisture and air are crucial to the survival of the plants and millions of other soil inhabitants.

With diverse plant species above and plenty of root mass below ground, minerals from rock, water and atmosphere can make their way to your livestock via the plants they consume.

A diverse selection of plants, including trees and shrubs, means a diverse selection of roots.

The longer roots are able to access the rock and minerals located further beneath the surface and transport them to the plants and other soil inhabitants. This keeps the soil mineral cycle functioning. The soil mineral cycle is one we tend to overlook due to our long affiliation with chemical application fix-its in an attempt to rectify the ongoing problem of dead soil.

Over time increased root mass in the soil creates a looser soil with organic matter. Soil without plants is exposed to the sun and sees more of its moisture evaporate. The climate elements then take their toll and the soil eventually becomes dry and hard. Hard, cracked and eroded soil cannot hold moisture so eventually it will not hold plant life either.

When plants shed leaves and flowers or when they die, plants provide much needed residue material back to the soil. For this dead plant material to breakdown it needs to come in contact with moisture and soil microorganisms. This process is aided by the hoof impact of the animals who are grazing.

Animals who graze deposit manure that is teaming with microbial life that further aids in the breakdown of grass residue and also contributes to the fertility of the soil.

When roots die off below ground they become soil organic matter. Organic matter leads to soil life and creates live soil versus dead soil. This increased soil health will lead to more efficient water retention and use, improved mineral cycle and plant health.

Healthy grassland contributes significantly to carbon storage. More so than forests. The potential dissipates when the soil is laid bare or the grassland is hindered by poor management.

Wildlife will be attracted to an area with abundant plants, water and minerals. Insects, and birds to keep their numbers in check, will be plentiful. The grassland habitat will flourish.

Clean water, accessible minerals and a variety of healthy plants are what livestock are after when they graze, and by grazing livestock play their role in the cycle, bringing us back to where we started.

Everything is connected and when studied in depth the myriad of connections are complex. No factor in a grassland ecosystem can function properly for long if any of the other factors are missing or out of balance.

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