Short Grass Prairie is described as which of the following?

• A. Parkland
• B. Boreal Forest
• C. Short Grass Prairie
• D. Long Grass Prairie

Answer: (C)

In prairie ecosystems, how tall the grasses grow is a key clue to describing the landscape. Short Grass Prairie describes a grassland where grasses stay short most of the year because the climate is relatively dry and fires help keep the vegetation from getting tall. That makes the name itself the best description—the defining feature is the abundance of short grasses. Parkland would imply more trees mixed in, the Boreal Forest is a northern forested zone, and Long Grass Prairie would indicate taller grasses and a different moisture regime. So the term Short Grass Prairie matches its actual vegetation pattern.