Montane Grasslands and Shrublands

Montane Grasslands and Shrublands Biome, as defined by the WWF, encompasses all high-altitude grasslands and shrublands globally. It includes montane, subalpine, and alpine habitats located at elevations above forest line. These high-elevation ecosystems occur in many subtropical and tropical mountain ranges around the world.

Locations

Montane grasslands and shrublands are found on mountains and high plateaus on every continent except Antarctica. Major locations include the Western Ghats and Himalayas in Asia, the South American Andes, African highlands, Rocky Mountains, Sierra Nevada, and other peaks across North America.

Vegetation and Adaptations

The vegetation consists mainly of grasses, sedges, and small shrubs. The growing season is short, and frost can occur throughout the year. Plants have developed specialized adaptations to survive. These include:

• Rosette structures that hug the ground and provide insulation
• Waxy, hairy, or thickened leaves to reduce water loss
• Low, compact growth forms and cushions for wind protection
• Short life cycles to take advantage of the limited growing season

Examples of plants include varieties of fescue, wheatgrass, bluegrass, sedge, thrift, and dwarf willow. Unique flowering species also occur like edelweiss and mountain avens.

Animal Species

Mammals found in these alpine areas include pikas, marmots, mountain goats, sheep, vicunas, chinchillas, and deer. Bird species range from grouse and ptarmigan to water pipits, longspurs, snowcoaches, and condors. Many invertebrates like grasshoppers, beetles, and butterflies inhabit these regions during warmer months.

Threats and Conservation

Montane grasslands provide important watershed and grazing habitat for wildlife and livestock. However, they face a variety of threats including overgrazing, agricultural conversion, invasive species, and climate change. Increased temperatures have enabled tree and shrub species to encroach higher up the mountains, displacing grassland habitat. Many alpine species are at risk and require conservation interventions to preserve these unique, isolated island ecosystems.

The Western Ghats Example

The Western Ghats mountains run nearly north-south along the western edge of India’s Deccan Plateau. They harbor exceptional biodiversity including montane grasslands above 1500 m elevation. These high-elevation grasslands provide habitat for endangered mammals like the Nilgiri tahr as well as unique flowering plant species. However, the Western Ghats grasslands are highly threatened by development, overgrazing by cattle, and expanding tea plantations. Private reserves aim to conserve fragments of the distinctive shola-grassland mosaic ecosystem.