Biome: Beijing, China

Biome: Beijing, China

Introduction

Beijing, which is commonly known as Jing, is a metropolitan area in northern China and as well the capital city of China.  It is located 102km west of Bo Hai Sea, where it borders the Province of Hebei from the south, west, north, and for a small section in the east. Jing also borders Tianjin from the southeast (“Beijing facts.”).

What is a Biome, What are the World’s Major Biomes, and Which Occur in Beijing, China?

Biomes are simply defined as the major types of world’s ecological communities. Mostly these Biomes are distinguished on a regional scale that is dictated by the various factors such as altitude, climate, latitude, and other factors. The world’s main Biomes are tundra, boreal forest, temperate forest, temperate grassland, chaparral or scrub, desert, tropical forests, and alpine. Beijing land primarily falls under the temperate grassland biome.

A Description of the Temperate Grassland Biome of Beijing

Grasslands is an area that is mainly distinguished by being dominated by grass instead of trees or shrubs (“The Grassland Biome”). The soil found in temperate grassland is deep dark and contains fertile upper layers. The soil is believed to be exceedingly rich and fertile due to decay and growth of a large amount of branched grass roots (“The Grassland Biome”). The high-branched roots help in the holding of the soil together and act as a source of food for the microorganisms. According to the researchers, it is believed that each grass grows in different parts of the grassland environment due to the different temperatures, rainfall as well as the soil condition (“The Grassland Biome”).

The Climate Map of the Temperate Grassland

Grassland climate is dry (“The Grassland Biomes”). The precipitation of this area does not exceed 100cm per Annum, with the minimum precipitation being near 20cm per year (“The Grassland Biomes”). The grassland also tends to have cold winters and hot summers. According to the article, The Grassland Biomes, the average annual temperatures mostly range from zero degrees centigrade to almost twenty degrees centigrade. Rainfall is moderate in this biome. The amount of rainfall tends to influence the height of vegetation in the savanna with the tallest grass being observed in the wetter regions (“The Grassland Biome”).

The Major Plants and Animals of the Temperate Grassland

The following are the principal animals found in the temperate grassland of Beijing, gazelles, wild horses, zebras, lions, prairie dogs, wolves, deer, rabbit, coyotes, mice, badgers, skunks, grouse, blackbird, quails, meadowlarks, sparrow, owls, hawks, grasshoppers, snakes, spiders, and leafhoppers (“The Grassland Biome”). In the grassland, the large herbivores are easily detected because they stick out from the grass.  These herbivores usually migrate with the seasons. Majority of the plants found in the grassland is the grass.  Grasses are usually monocots, meaning their seed has one cotyledon and the grass leaves have parallel venation. The flowers of the grasses are not exceeding showy, but their pollens can be carried away by the wind. In addition, the grassland has also grassland plants.

Just as in any typical ecology, Beijing has its share of animals faced with endangerment and possible extinction. An example is that of the porpoise dolphins typically found in the Yangzte river. The potential extinction of the finless dolphins is largely attributable to uncontrolled fishing by humans.ss

Impact and Amount of Human Activity in the Temperate Grassland

The major threat to the temperate grassland is the conversion of the grassland into agriculture or urban areas by human beings (“The Grassland Biomes”). Majority of the grasslands in Beijing are exceedingly rich in nutrients, and, therefore, this factor influence humans to convert grasslands into agriculture. In most cases, this means the replacement of the natural vegetation with plants such as soya beans, corn, wheat or grains. The current form of agriculture carried out by the people of Beijing is the monoculture; this is where only one crop is planted in a field for a certain time. This agriculture creates a lot of disaster on the land because these plants require only a certain nutrients from the soil, which they deplete exceeding first. The result is the addition of fertilizer to the soil.

Type of Government in Beijing and the Type of Protection they Offer to the Ecosystem

Beijing is one of the principal municipalities in China, the rest being Tientsin and Shanghai. However, Beijing has its own elected and appointed government officials. Grassland degradation is ranked as one of China’s (Beijing included) greatest environmental challenge (“Ecosystem Service and Management Strategy in China,” 218) Moreover, the government of China has put in place strict laws concerning the destruction of these grasslands. In December 2008, the Vice Minister of Environment, Wang Yuqinq, stated that the protection of China’s grassland would be the government highest priority in the agenda of protecting the environment (Veeck, Yu, and Zhu 248).

Languages spoken and Historical significance of Beijing

The most common language that is spoken in Beijing is the Mandarin Chinese; however, some few natives understand and speak English (“Beijing Facts”). Beijing has been the integral part of the history of China for quite a long time. Beijing has been China’s capital city for almost 850 years. There is no other city in China that attracts more foreigners than Beijing. Beijing has a sizeable wall named as the Great Wall of China, which forms China’s greatest source of attraction. At the centre of Beijing, rest the Forbidden City, which is professed to be the home of the emperors of the Ming and Qing Empire. This city is believed to be the largest known complex of China and the World.

Works Cited

“Beijing Facts.” TravelChinaGuide.com. 1998-2012. 13 Nov. 2012. <http://www.travelchinaguide.com/cityguides/beijing/>.

Ecosystem Service and Management Strategy in China. 2010. 13 Nov. 2012. <http://www.cciced.net/encciced/policyresearch/report/201205/P020120529358303500427.pdf>.

“The Grassland Biome.” The World Biome’s. n. d. 13 Nov. 2012. <http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/glossary/gloss5/biome/grassland.html>.

“The Grassland Biomes.” Biomes of the World. n. d. 13 Nov. 2012. <http://www.marietta.edu/~biol/biomes/grass.htm>.

Veeck, Ann, Yu, Hongyan, and Hong Zhu. “The Impact of Grassland Protection Polices On Mixed Herding/Farming Families in Northwestern Jilin Province, PRC.” 1.14 (2011): 247-262.

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