Rangeland

High school (ages 12+)
Geography

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/rangeland

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the ecosystem classification?Encompasses grasslands, shrublands, woodlands, savannas, deserts, and tundras
2. What is the distinguishing factor?Primarily managed by grazing of native vegetation, unlike agricultural lands
3. Why do rangelands need grazing and fire?Grazing by animals helps shape the plants and keeps the land healthy. Fire also helps by encouraging grasses and keeping too many trees from growing.
4. How many animals live on rangelands?About one billion animals, like cows and sheep, are raised on rangelands around the world.

Understory Vegetation: The layer of plants growing beneath the main canopy of trees in a forest.
Prescribed Fire: Controlled application of fire to a land area under specific environmental conditions.
Desertification: The process by which fertile land becomes desert, typically as a result of drought or unsustainable human activity.