Twenty-five percent of the Earth is covered by the grassland biome.
Large animals called bison previously ruled the grassland biome and roamed by the millions. During the 1800s, settlers began to slaughter them for their meat, bones, and fur, decresing the bison population. The effect on the loss of bison to the biome shows that they seem to be a good indicator species.
There are two seasons in the temperate grassland, the growing season and the dormant season. Plants do not grow during the dormant season because the climate is too cold during that time.
Periodic fires, whether they are human induced or occur spontaneously by lightning, are very important to the grassland to ensure that invasive plants do not take over.