Tussock grasses or bunch grasses are a group of grass species in the family Poaceae . They usually grow as singular plants in clumps, tufts, hummocks, or bunches, rather than forming a sod or lawn , in meadows , grasslands , and prairies. As perennial plants , most species live more than one season. Tussock grasses are often found as forage in pastures and ornamental grasses in gardens.
5-1067: Many species have long roots that may reach 2 meters (6.6 ft) or more into the soil, which can aid slope stabilization, erosion control , and soil porosity for precipitation absorption. Also, their roots can reach moisture more deeply than other grasses and annual plants during seasonal or climatic droughts. The plants provide habitat and food for insects (including Lepidoptera ), birds, small animals and larger herbivores , and support beneficial soil mycorrhiza . The leaves supply material, such as for basket weaving , for indigenous peoples and contemporary artists . Tussock and bunch grasses occur in almost any habitat where other grasses are found, including: grasslands , savannas and prairies , wetlands and estuaries , riparian zones , shrublands and scrublands , woodlands and forests , montane and alpine zones, tundra and dunes , and deserts . In western North American wildfires , bunch grasses tend to smolder and not ignite into flames, unlike invasive species of annual grasses that contribute to
10-642: A fire's spreading. Erosion control Erosion control is the practice of preventing or controlling wind or water erosion in agriculture , land development , coastal areas , river banks and construction . Effective erosion controls handle surface runoff and are important techniques in preventing water pollution , soil loss , wildlife habitat loss and human property loss. Erosion controls are used in natural areas, agricultural settings or urban environments. In urban areas erosion controls are often part of stormwater runoff management programs required by local governments. The controls often involve
15-473: The bank. Examples of erosion control methods include the following: Since the 1920s and 1930s scientists have been creating mathematical models for understanding the mechanisms of soil erosion and resulting sediment surface runoff , including an early paper by Albert Einstein applying Baer's law . These models have addressed both gully and sheet erosion. Earliest models were a simple set of linked equations which could be employed by manual calculation. By
20-478: The creation of a physical barrier, such as vegetation or rock, to absorb some of the energy of the wind or water that is causing the erosion. They also involve building and maintaining storm drains . On construction sites they are often implemented in conjunction with sediment controls such as sediment basins and silt fences . Bank erosion is a natural process: without it, rivers would not meander and change course. However, land management patterns that change
25-418: The hydrograph and/or vegetation cover can act to increase or decrease channel migration rates. In many places, whether or not the banks are unstable due to human activities, people try to keep a river in a single place. This can be done for environmental reclamation or to prevent a river from changing course into land that is being used by people. One way that this is done is by placing riprap or gabions along
#978021