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60-711: Last Mountain Creek is a river in south-central Saskatchewan. It is a tributary of the Qu'Appelle River in a region called the Prairie Pothole Region of North America , which extends throughout three Canadian provinces and five U.S. states . It is also within Palliser's Triangle and the Great Plains ecoregion . The river is part of the Upper Qu'Appelle River watershed and starts at

120-617: A broad spatial scale. Because plant productivity is limited by grassland precipitation, carbon stocks are highest in regions where precipitation is heaviest, such as the high grass prairie in the humid temperate region of the United States. Similarly, as annual temperatures rise, grassland carbon stocks decrease due to increased evapotranspiration . Grasslands have suffered large losses of organic carbon due to soil disturbances, vegetation degradation, fires, erosion, nutrient deficiencies, and water shortages. The type, frequency and intensity of

180-428: A discount in biodiversity as faster-growing plants outcompete others. A study of a California grassland found that global change may speed reductions in diversity and forb species are most prone to this process. Misguided afforestation efforts, for example as part of the global effort to increase carbon sequestration, can harm grasslands and their core ecosystem services. Forest centric restoration efforts can create

240-400: A new river, to be given its own name, perhaps one already known to the people who live upon its banks. Conversely, explorers approaching a new land from the sea encounter its rivers at their mouths, where they name them on their charts, then, following a river upstream, encounter each tributary as a forking of the stream to the right and to the left, which then appear on their charts as such; or

300-522: A range of marketed and non-marketed ecosystem services that are fundamental to the livelihoods of an estimated one billion people globally. Grasslands hold about twenty percent of global soil carbon stocks. Herbaceous (non-wooded) vegetation dominates grasslands and carbon is stored in the roots and soil underground. Above-ground biomass carbon is relatively short-lived due to grazing, fire, and senescence . Grassland species have an extensive fibrous root system, with grasses often accounting for 60-80% of

360-481: A result of human activity. Hunting cultures around the world often set regular fires to maintain and extend grasslands and prevent fire-intolerant trees and shrubs from taking hold. The tallgrass prairies in the U.S. Midwest may have been extended eastward into Illinois , Indiana , and Ohio by human agency. Much grassland in northwest Europe developed after the Neolithic Period when people gradually cleared

420-611: A variety of grasses that include grasses that are related to modern rice and bamboo . The appearance of mountains in the western United States during the Miocene and Pliocene epochs, a period of some 25 million years, created a continental climate favourable to the evolution of grasslands. Around 5 million years ago during the Late Miocene in the New World and the Pliocene in

480-476: A very common subcategory of the grasslands biome. These can be defined as: They can also be described as the following: There are many different types of semi-natural grasslands, e.g. hay meadows . The graminoids are among the most versatile life forms . They became widespread toward the end of the Cretaceous period, and coprolites of fossilized dinosaur feces have been found containing phytoliths of

540-508: Is a lack of agreement on the amount of carbon that can be stored in grassland ecosystem. This is partly caused by different methodologies applied to measure soil organic carbon and limited respective datasets. Further, carbon accumulation in soils changes significantly over time and point in time measurements produce an insufficient evidence base. Grasslands are among the most threatened ecosystems. Global losses from grassland degradation are estimated to be over $ 7 billion per year. According to

600-566: Is an extensive floodplain on the south-east corner of Last Mountain Lake at the point where Last Mountain Creek starts. The wetland is over 30 square kilometres (12 sq mi) in size and follows the course of the river towards Craven and the Qu'Appelle River for about 6 kilometres (3.7 mi). A 900-acre conservation project called Valeport Wildlife Management Area Trails protects the wetlands for migratory birds, ducks, grebes , and other wildlife. It

660-472: Is at the southern tip of Last Mountain Lake and Last Mountain Lake National Wildlife Area is at the northern end. [REDACTED] Canada portal Tributary A tributary , or an affluent , is a stream or river that flows into a larger stream ( main stem or "parent" ), river, or a lake . A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean . Tributaries, and

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720-622: Is often a plagioclimax ; it remains dominant in a particular area usually due to grazing , cutting, or natural or man-made fires, all discouraging colonization by and survival of tree and shrub seedlings . Some of the world's largest expanses of grassland are found in the African savanna, and these are maintained by wild herbivores as well as by nomadic pastoralists and their cattle , sheep or goats. Grasslands have an impact on climate change by slower decomposition rates of litter compared to forest environments. Grasslands may occur naturally or as

780-537: Is still controversial. A study in Brazilian Subtropical Highland Grasslands found that grasslands without traditional land management—which uses fire every two years and extensive cattle grazing—can disappear within 30 years. This study showed that grasslands inside protected areas , in which fire is not allowed and cattle grazing is banned, grasslands were quickly replaced by shrubs ( shrub encroachment ). Land cover has always changed during

840-897: The Everglades of Florida , the Pantanal of Brazil , Bolivia and Paraguay or the Esteros del Ibera in Argentina , are classified with flooded savannas as the flooded grasslands and savannas biome and occur mostly in the tropics and subtropics. The species that live in these grasslands are well adapted to the hydrologic regimes and soil conditions. The Everglades—the world's largest rain-fed flooded grassland—is rich in 11,000 species of seed-bearing plants, 25 species of orchids , 300 bird species, and 150 fish species. Water-meadows are grasslands that are deliberately flooded for short periods. High-altitude grasslands located on high mountain ranges around

900-480: The encroachment of woody species . Species richness is particularly high in grasslands of low soil fertility such as serpentine barrens and calcareous grasslands, where woody encroachment is prevented as low nutrient levels in the soil may inhibit the growth of forest and shrub species. Another common predicament often experienced by the ill-fated grassland creatures is the constant burning of plants, fueled by oxygen and many expired photosynthesizing organisms, with

960-867: The prairie and Pacific grasslands of North America , the Pampas of Argentina , Brazil and Uruguay , calcareous downland , and the steppes of Europe . They are classified with temperate savannas and shrublands as the temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome . Temperate grasslands are the home to many large herbivores , such as bison , gazelles , zebras , rhinoceroses , and wild horses . Carnivores like lions , wolves , cheetahs and leopards are also found in temperate grasslands. Other animals of this region include deer , prairie dogs , mice , jack rabbits , skunks , coyotes , snakes , foxes , owls , badgers , blackbirds, grasshoppers , meadowlarks , sparrows , quails , hawks and hyenas . Grasslands that are flooded seasonally or year-round, like

1020-505: The tropical and subtropical grasslands, savannas and shrublands biome . The rainfall level for that grassland type is between 90 and 150 centimeters per year. Grasses and scattered trees are common for that ecoregion, as well as large mammals , such as wildebeest ( Connochaetes taurinus ) and zebra ( Equus zebra ). Notable tropical and subtropical grasslands include the Llanos grasslands of South America . Mid-latitude grasslands, including

1080-773: The African savannas or the Iberian deheza. As flowering plants and trees, grasses grow in great concentrations in climates where annual rainfall ranges between 500 and 900 mm (20 and 35 in). The root systems of perennial grasses and forbs form complex mats that hold the soil in place. Grasslands support the greatest aggregations of large animals on Earth, including jaguars, African wild dogs, pronghorn , black-footed ferret , plains bison , mountain plover , African elephant, Sunda tiger, black rhino, white rhino, savanna elephant, greater one-horned rhino, Indian elephant and swift fox . Grazing animals, herd animals, and predators in grasslands, like lions and cheetahs live in

1140-510: The American West—and introduction of invasive species , like cane toads in northern Australia, have disrupted the balance in these ecosystems and damaged a number of other species. Grasslands are home to a number of the foremost magnificent animals on the planet—elephants, bison, lions—and hunters have found them to be enticing prey. But when hunting is not controlled or is conducted illegally, species can become extinct. Grasslands provide

1200-524: The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the most significant threat to grasslands is human land use, especially agriculture and mining. The vulnerability of grasslands stems from a range of factors, such as misclassification, poor protection and cultivation. Grasslands have an extensive history of human activity and disturbance . To feed a growing human population, most of

1260-596: The Old World, the first true grasslands occurred. Existing forest biomes declined, and grasslands became much more widespread. It is known that grasslands have existed in Europe throughout the Pleistocene (the last 1.8 million years). Following the Pleistocene ice ages (with their glacials and interglacials ), grasslands expanded in the hotter, drier climates, and began to become the dominant land feature worldwide. Since

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1320-433: The Qu'Appelle River just west and upstream from the mouth of Last Mountain Creek. Other than Last Mountain Lake and Valeport Marsh, no named tributaries flow into Last Mountain Creek. Several tributaries flow into Last Mountain Lake, though, including Arm River , Lewis Creek, and Lanigan Creek . Valeport Marsh ( 50°43′23″N 104°50′57″W  /  50.7231°N 104.8491°W  / 50.7231; -104.8491 )

1380-518: The Qu'Appelle River on the eastern side of the village of Craven. The gates of the dam are used to regulate water flows along the Qu'Appelle and can be closed to backflood water up Last Mountain Creek and into Last Mountain Lake. At the southernmost point of Last Mountain Lake, there is the Valeport Dam ( 50°43′45″N 104°51′36″W  /  50.7292°N 104.8601°W  / 50.7292; -104.8601 ) and associated dykes that help control

1440-572: The atmosphere). It can have severe negative consequences on key ecosystem services, like land productivity and groundwater recharge. Despite growing recognition of the importance of grasslands, understanding of restoration options remains limited. Cost of grassland restoration is highly variable and respective data is scarce. Successful grassland restoration has several dimensions, including recognition in policy, standardisation of indicators of degradation, scientific innovation, knowledge transfer and data sharing. Restoration methods and measures include

1500-478: The biomass carbon in this ecosystem. This underground biomass can extend several meters below the surface and store abundant carbon into the soil, resulting in deep, fertile soils with high organic matter content. For this reason, soil carbon accounts for about 81% of the total ecosystem carbon in grasslands. The close link between soil carbon and underground biomass leads to similar responses of these carbon pools to fluctuations in annual precipitation and temperature on

1560-417: The disturbance can play a key role in the soil organic carbon ( SOC ) balance of grasslands. Bedrock , irrigation practices, soil acidification , liming , and pasture management can all have potential impacts on grassland organic carbon stocks. Good grassland management can reverse historical soil carbon losses. The relationship of improved biodiversity with carbon storage is subject of research. There

1620-501: The economics that the world's grasslands have to offer, from producing grazing animals, tourism, ecosystems services such as clean water and air, and energy extraction. Vast areas of grassland are affected by woody encroachment , which is the expansion of woody plants at the expense of the herbaceous layer. Woody encroachment is caused by a combination of human impact (e.g. fire exclusion, overstocking and resulting overgrazing ) and environmental factors (i.e. increased CO 2 levels in

1680-452: The first-order tributary being typically the least in size. For example, a second-order tributary would be the result of two or more first-order tributaries combining to form the second-order tributary. Another method is to list tributaries from mouth to source, in the form of a tree structure , stored as a tree data structure . Grassland Included among the variety of definitions for grasslands are: Semi-natural grasslands are

1740-768: The following: For the period 2021–2030 the United Nations General Assembly has proclaimed the UN Decade on Restoration, involving a joint resolution by over 70 countries. It is led by the United Nations Environment Programme and the Food and Agriculture Organization . Grassland types by Schimper (1898, 1903): Grassland types by Ellenberg and Mueller-Dombois (1967): Formation-class V. Terrestrial herbaceous communities Grassland types by Laycock (1979): These grasslands can be classified as

1800-463: The forest to create areas for raising their livestock. Grasslands often occur in areas with annual precipitation is between 600 mm (24 in) and 1,500 mm (59 in) and average mean annual temperatures ranges from −5 and 20 °C. However, some grasslands occur in colder (−20 °C) and hotter (30 °C) climatic conditions. Grassland can exist in habitats that are frequently disturbed by grazing or fire, as such disturbance prevents

1860-605: The grassland type and on how strong it is affected by human impact. Dominant trees for the semi-natural grassland are Quercus robur , Betula pendula , Corylus avellana , Crataegus and many kinds of herbs. In chalk grassland , the plants can vary from very tall to very short. Quite tall grasses can be found in North American tallgrass prairie , South American grasslands, and African savanna . Woody plants, shrubs or trees may occur on some grasslands—forming savannas, scrubby grassland or semi-wooded grassland, such as

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1920-590: The grasslands have existed for over 1.8 million years, there is high variability. For example steppe-tundra dominated in Northern and Central Europe whereas a higher amount of xerothermic grasslands occurred in the Mediterranean area. Within temperate Europe, the range of types is quite wide and also became unique due to the exchange of species and genetic material between different biomes. The semi-natural grasslands first appeared when humans started farming. So for

1980-443: The grasslands of the African savanna. Mites , insect larvae , nematodes , and earthworms inhabit deep soil, which can reach 6 metres (20 feet) underground in undisturbed grasslands on the richest soils of the world. These invertebrates, along with symbiotic fungi , extend the root systems, break apart hard soil, enrich it with urea and other natural fertilizers, trap minerals and water and promote growth. Some types of fungi make

2040-451: The handedness is from the point of view of an observer facing upstream. For instance, Steer Creek has a left tributary which is called Right Fork Steer Creek. These naming conventions are reflective of the circumstances of a particular river's identification and charting: people living along the banks of a river, with a name known to them, may then float down the river in exploration, and each tributary joining it as they pass by appears as

2100-424: The joining of tributaries. The opposite to a tributary is a distributary , a river or stream that branches off from and flows away from the main stream. Distributaries are most often found in river deltas . Right tributary , or right-bank tributary , and left tributary , or left-bank tributary , describe the orientation of the tributary relative to the flow of the main stem river. These terms are defined from

2160-840: The lack of rain pushing this problem to further heights. When not limited by other factors, increasing CO 2 concentration in the air increases plant growth, similarly as water use efficiency, which is very important in drier regions. However, the advantages of elevated CO 2 are limited by factors including water availability and available nutrients , particularly nitrogen. Thus effects of elevated CO 2 on plant growth will vary with local climate patterns, species adaptations to water limitations, and nitrogen availability. Studies indicate that nutrient depletion may happen faster in drier regions, and with factors like plant community composition and grazing. Nitrogen deposition from air pollutants and increased mineralization from higher temperatures can increase plant productivity, but increases are often among

2220-475: The lake's water levels. The dam was built in 1939, upgraded in 1958, and is 3.7 metres (12 ft) high. It is owned and operated by the Saskatchewan Water Security Agency . Last Mountain Creek flows out of the lake at the dam and runs through Valeport Marsh following Highway 20 until it meets the Qu'Appelle River at the village of Craven and Highways 641 and 729 . Wascana Creek meets

2280-448: The land is also important, as it is then easier to fertilize, for example. For instance, if it is located near a road. With the development of technology, it is becoming increasingly easy to cultivate land with a steeper gradient, to the detriment of grasslands. The management of grasslands is also changing permanently. There is increased use of mineral fertilizers, furthermore borders and field edges are removed to enlarge fields and leveling

2340-437: The land, 49.7%, was covered with forest and there was also more semi-natural grassland (18.8%) than arable land (15.8%). In 2015 this has changed drastically. The forest cover has increased (50.8%) and arable land has also increased (20.4%), but the semi-natural grassland cover has decreased. Although it still covers a large area of the earth (10.6%). A quarter of semi-natural grassland was lost through intensification, i.e. it

2400-545: The landscape change due to agriculture of the last century. The original wild-plant communities having been replaced by sown monocultures of cultivated varieties of grasses and clovers, such as perennial ryegrass and white clover . In many parts of the world, "unimproved" grasslands are one of the most threatened types of habitat, and a target for acquisition by wildlife conservation groups or for special grants to landowners who are encouraged to manage them appropriately. Grassland vegetation can vary considerably depending on

2460-592: The main stem river into which they flow, drain the surrounding drainage basin of its surface water and groundwater , leading the water out into an ocean. The Irtysh is a chief tributary of the Ob river and is also the longest tributary river in the world with a length of 4,248 km (2,640 mi). The Madeira River is the largest tributary river by volume in the world with an average discharge of 31,200 m /s (1.1 million cu ft/s). A confluence , where two or more bodies of water meet, usually refers to

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2520-971: The mowing farmers led to co-existence of other plant species around. In the following, the biodiversity of the plants evolve. Also, the species that already lived there adapted to the new conditions. Most of the grassland areas have been turned to arable fields and disappeared again. The grasslands permanently became arable cropping fields due to the steady decrease in organic matter. Nowadays, semi-natural grasslands are rather located in areas that are unsuitable for agricultural farming. Grasslands dominated by unsown wild-plant communities ("unimproved grasslands") can be called either natural or "semi-natural" habitat. Although their plant communities are natural, their maintenance depends upon anthropogenic activities such as grazing and cutting regimes. The semi-natural grasslands contain many species of wild plants, including grasses, sedges, rushes, and herbs; 25 plant-species per 100 square centimeters can be found. A European record that

2580-406: The opposite bank before approaching the confluence. An early tributary is a tributary that joins the main stem river closer to its source than its mouth, that is, before the river's midpoint ; a late tributary joins the main stem further downstream, closer to its mouth than to its source, that is, after the midpoint. In the United States, where tributaries sometimes have the same name as

2640-653: The original diversity of plants having been destroyed by cultivation and by the use of fertilizers. Almost 90% of the European semi-natural grasslands do not exist anymore due to political and economic reasons. This loss took place during the 20th century. The ones in Western and Central Europe have almost disappeared completely. There are a few left in Northern Europe. Unfortunately, a large amount of red-listed species are specialists of semi-natural grasslands and are affected by

2700-476: The perspective of looking downstream, that is, facing the direction the water current of the main stem is going. In a navigational context, if one were floating on a raft or other vessel in the main stream, this would be the side the tributary enters from as one floats past; alternately, if one were floating down the tributary, the main stream meets it on the opposite bank of the tributary. This information may be used to avoid turbulent water by moving towards

2760-445: The plants more resistant to insect and microbial attacks. Grassland in all its form supports a vast variety of mammals, reptiles, birds, and insects. Typical large mammals include the blue wildebeest , American bison , giant anteater , and Przewalski's horse . The plants and animals that live in grasslands are connected through an unlimited web of interactions. But the removal of key species—such as buffalo and prairie dogs within

2820-809: The risk of misreading and misclassifying of landscapes. A map created by the World Resources Institute in collaboration with the IUCN identifies 2 billion hectares for potential forest restoration . It is criticised for including 900 million hectares of grasslands. It is expected that non-native grasses will continue to outperform native species under warmer and drier conditions that occur in many grasslands due to climate change. The type of land management used in grasslands can also lead to grassland loss/degradation. Many grasslands and other open ecosystems depend on disturbances such as wildfires , controlled burns and/or grazing to persist, although this subject

2880-643: The river into which they feed, they are called forks . These are typically designated by compass direction. For example, the American River in California receives flow from its North, Middle, and South forks. The Chicago River 's North Branch has the East, West, and Middle Fork; the South Branch has its South Fork, and used to have a West Fork as well (now filled in). Forks are sometimes designated as right or left. Here,

2940-418: The smaller stream designated the little fork, the larger either retaining its name unmodified, or receives the designation big . Tributaries are sometimes listed starting with those nearest to the source of the river and ending with those nearest to the mouth of the river . The Strahler stream order examines the arrangement of tributaries in a hierarchy of first, second, third and higher orders, with

3000-419: The southern end of Last Mountain Lake . It travels in a southerly direction for about 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) until it meets the Qu'Appelle River in the Qu'Appelle Valley, which was formed during the last ice age . During years in which the Qu'Appelle River is high, Last Mountain Creek naturally reverses direction and flows into Last Mountain Lake. Craven Dam is located east of Last Mountain Creek's mouth on

3060-432: The streams are seen to diverge by the cardinal direction (north, south, east, or west) in which they proceed upstream, sometimes a third stream entering between two others is designated the middle fork; or the streams are distinguished by the relative height of one to the other, as one stream descending over a cataract into another becomes the upper fork, and the one it descends into, the lower ; or by relative volume:

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3120-413: The terrain to facilitate the use of agricultural machinery. The professional study of dry grasslands falls under the category of rangeland management , which focuses on ecosystem services associated with the grass-dominated arid and semi-arid rangelands of the world. Rangelands account for an estimated 70% of the earth's landmass; thus, many cultures including those of the United States are indebted to

3180-478: The top of the dyke. Along the west side of the Valeport Wildlife Management Area is a Nature Conservancy of Canada property called Big Valley ( 50°44′20″N 104°53′19″W  /  50.73889°N 104.88861°W  / 50.73889; -104.88861 ). Big Valley is 552 acres of protected grassland and is managed for bird and wildlife habitat. Valeport Marsh Wildlife Management Area

3240-425: The use of agriculture, forests got cleared in Europe. Ancient meadows and pastures were the parts that were suitable for cultivation. The semi-natural grasslands were formed from these areas. However, there's also evidence for the local persistence of natural grasslands in Europe, originally maintained by wild herbivores, throughout the pre-Neolithic Holocene. The removal of the plants by the grazing animals and later

3300-593: The wild-plant diversity of the "unimproved" grasslands is usually a rich invertebrate fauna; there are also many species of birds that are grassland "specialists", such as the snipe and the little bustard . Owing to semi-natural grasslands being referred to as one of the most-species rich ecosystems in the world and essential habitat for many specialists, also including pollinators, there are many approaches to conservation activities lately. Agriculturally improved grasslands, which dominate modern intensive agricultural landscapes, are usually poor in wild plant species due to

3360-461: The world's grasslands are converted from natural landscapes to fields of corn, wheat or other crops. Grasslands that have remained largely intact thus far, such as the East African savannas , are in danger of being lost to agriculture. Grasslands are very sensitive to disturbances, such as people hunting and killing key species, or plowing the land to make more space for farms. Grassland vegetation

3420-483: The years. The following relates to the changes between 1960 and 2015. There has been a decrease in semi-natural grasslands and an increase in areas with arable land , forest and land used for infrastructure and buildings. The line style and relative thickness of the lines indicates the percentage of the total area that changed. Changes less than 1% and land-cover classes with all changes less than 1% (i.e. semi-natural wetlands and water) are not included. In 1960 most of

3480-412: Was converted into arable or pasture land and forests. It is more likely that intensification will occur in flat semi-natural grasslands, especially if the soil is fertile. On the other hand, grasslands, where the land is drought-prone or less productive, are more likely to persist as semi-natural grasslands than grasslands with fertile soil and low gradient of the terrain. Furthermore, the accessibility of

3540-503: Was created by the provincial government with the assistance of Ducks Unlimited Canada and is an Important Bird Area of Canada called Valeport Marsh (SK 061). At the head of the river and edge of the marsh, along Last Mountain Lake's south-eastern shore, is the 57-hectare (140-acre) Valeport Provincial Recreation Site ( 50°44′52″N 104°52′15″W  /  50.7478°N 104.8709°W  / 50.7478; -104.8709 ). The park offers canoeing, picnicking, hiking, and walking along

3600-614: Was found on a meadow in Estonia described 76 species of plants in one square meter. Chalk downlands in England can support over 40 species per square meter. In many parts of the world, few examples have escaped agricultural improvement (fertilizing, weed killing, plowing, or re-seeding). For example, original North American prairie grasslands or lowland wildflower meadows in the UK are now rare and their associated wild flora equally threatened. Associated with

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