Grasslands

Degradation

Grasslands are among the most threatened ecosystems, and have been described as the most imperiled terrestrial biome. Grasslands have experienced a far greater rate of global conversion than forests, yet receive relatively little federal or international protection. Global losses from grassland degradation are estimated to be over $7 billion per year. According to 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. A global analysis of 70 grassland ecoregions found that 21 are less than 20% intact, while only 14 retain at least 60% intactness; moreover, 47 of 70 regional grasslands have been in decline since 2000.