North American Grassland

Prairies are enormous stretches of land covered in different types of grass, shrubs and forbs. Ecologically, prairies are a type of grassland biome, a category they share with steppes, pampas and savannas. One defining feature of all grasslands, including prairies, is that while they have dozens of plant species, they have few trees.

“Prairie” is most often used in reference to the large stretches of flat, grassy land in the middle of North America. The largest of these make up the majority of the Great Plains, a huge grassland that stretches from the southern United States and into Canada, covering portions of the U.S. states of Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado, Nebraska, Wyoming, South Dakota, North Dakota and Montana, and the Canadian provinces of Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan.

North American prairies are home to hundreds of animal species, and thousands of plant species. All kinds of plants, birds, insects and mammals are native to this unique biome, including two of North America’s largest land animals: the American Bison (Bison bison) and elk (Cervus canadensis). Many smaller species in the prairie ecosystem take cover underground in the absence of tree cover across the open land. Prairie dogs (Genus Cynomys) in particular are underground architects of the prairie, digging protective burrows to hide from the elements as well as native predators like coyotes, eagles, hawks and foxes. Because prairie dogs live in large groups, called colonies, some of these underground burrows, or “towns” span hundreds or even thousands of acres. Abandoned prairie dog burrows also offer shelter for rattlesnakes, burrowing owls, amphibians, insects and other small creatures.

Plant life in the prairie is adapted to extreme weather patterns, with perennial grass and shrubs enduring heat and potential droughts in the summer, and temperatures well below freezing in the winter. The Great Plains is home to hundreds of plant species, although the exact makeup of local plants may differ by region. Across the whole prairie, however, one type of plant dominates: grass. Dozens of different species of perennial grass can be found across the prairie, and prairies themselves are defined by how tall the grass is able to grow each year. Tallgrass prairies are aptly named for the tall grasses that can reach heights of 2 meters (6 feet) and taller, whereas the grass of shortgrass prairies sees more modest growth every year. Although the exact species plays a role in determining how tall grass might grow, one of the biggest determining factors of grass height is the amount of rain that the land receives each year. In regions that receive significant rainfall, the grass can grow very tall, whereas drier areas, like those found in western portions of the Great Plains, have limited growth due to lack of water. Some prairies can have both types of grasses at the same time if rainfall is unevenly distributed. These prairies are usually referred to as mixed prairies.

Humans on the Prairie

Alongside plants and wildlife, humans have also called the prairie home for thousands of years. Just as there is great biodiversity in the plant and animal species that exist across the vast prairie, there is a wealth of unique cultures amongst the peoples, tribes and nations of the Great Plains. The Oceti Sakowin (Sioux), Blackfeet, Comanche, Tsistsistas (Cheyenne), Hinono’ei (Arapaho), Apsáalooke (Crow), Kiowa, Cree, Pawnee and Wichita are among the dozens of distinct tribes and nations of the Great Plains. Although history, language and culture can differ between these and other groups, they share a common connection to the prairie environment and its wildlife. Historically, bison especially were an invaluable resource, and were an important part of daily life for many communities across the Great Plains. Although their numbers today are greatly reduced from their historic population due to overhunting, for many centuries, the huge herds of bison that stretched across the prairie provided food, leather, fur and other materials for the humans that hunted them.

The Great Plains saw a huge influx of colonists migrating to the prairie in the centuries following the colonization of North America by European settlers, especially during the westward expansion of both the United States and Canada in the 19th century. Attracted by the prairie’s suitability for farming and agriculture, these settlers consisted largely of families, farmers and prospectors seeking independence and opportunity in the west. Colonists, especially those who could not afford to buy land in the settled areas of their country, were also incentivized by the 1862 Homestead Act in the U.S., and the 1872 Dominion Lands Act in Canada, both of which promised men and their families 160 acres (64.7 hectares) of land for almost no money—under the condition that they live on and farm the land for five years.

As the colonists moved in, their respective governments fought to remove the existing inhabitants, and were met with fierce resistance. For decades, the United States as well as Canada negotiated treaties with Indigenous groups to acquire their land, only to break those same treaties soon after. The United States, especially, used violence and warfare against Indigenous peoples to seize control. The parallel but separate expansions of the United States and Canada differ in political context and historical detail. However, both nations employed methods of bad-faith diplomacy, violence and a long list of broken treaties to force Indigenous inhabitants off their land to make way for their own farmers and settlers.

Although the prairies of North America are now controlled by the United States and Canada, respectively, the Sioux Tribes, Blackfeet Nation, Comanche Nation, the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes, the Crow Tribe, the Kiowa Tribe, Cree Nation, Pawnee Nation, the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes and many other native groups continue to call the Great Plains home.

The Modern Prairie

Today, farms on the Great Plains collectively produce a huge percent of the agricultural crops grown in North America with the most common crops grown in the region being maize (corn), soybean and wheat. In fact, these farms grow food not only for North America, but also for export to other continents. The flat, open prairie is also well suited for wind farms where massive wind turbines generate electricity in place of burning fossil fuels. Although wind farms can be found all around North America, the Great Plains has the heaviest concentration of farms and is also home to some of the largest wind farms, which can operate hundreds of wind turbines. In addition to crops and energy, the prairie is home to many ranches where domesticated animals such as cattle, pigs, sheep and chickens are raised. With its abundant grass, the prairie is especially suited to grazing cattle, which makes up the majority of the prairie’s livestock industry.

Like many other places in the world, the prairie ecosystem has been greatly affected by human activity and industry. Some parts of the prairie are now home to bustling cities, which can displace local wildlife populations and destroy existing habitats. In more rural areas, fences, roads and busy highways split the landscape and create dangerous obstacles for local wildlife populations as they migrate across the prairie.

Intentional hunting or extermination is also a longstanding threat to the ecosystem. Centuries ago, bison populations measured in the tens of millions, with a range that spanned across the Great Plains and beyond. Large-scale hunting in the 19th century drove the species near to extinction, and today there are only about 500,000 bison in North America. Of those 500,000, the vast majority are raised as livestock, while a small fraction are managed in conservation herds to protect the species.

Prairie dogs are also threatened by human hunting, but whereas bison are most often hunted for their meat, fur and horns, prairie dogs are often exterminated as pests. In addition to eating farmers’ crops, the expansive towns they build underground can destabilize the ground above, endangering existing structures or making it difficult to build new structures. The openings to their burrows also create tripping hazards for humans and livestock.

It isn’t just wildlife that suffers from the effects of human activity. Plant species native to the prairie have also drastically reduced in numbers. This is largely due to the conversion of prairie into agricultural land, which requires the removal of native plant species to introduce crop plants or plants needed to support livestock. Currently, over 90% of prairie in North America is occupied by human agriculture.

Despite the challenges, there are ongoing efforts to rewild North America’s prairies, reintroduce native plant species and innovate new ways for humans to protect and coexist with the many animals that live in the prairie.

Other Types of Grasslands

Although prairies represent a unique ecosystem, they share many qualities of other grasslands around the world, such as steppes, savannas and pampas. The main differences between these different grasslands are geographic location and climate. Prairie is the term used for grasslands in North America, while the grasslands in South America are called pampas. Likewise, the grasslands of northern Asia are called steppes, while those found in Africa are called savannas.