The geography of grasslands involves landforms, elevation, soil, and water sources.

Landforms

The dominant feature of most grasslands is flat terrain or low, rolling hills. In African savannas, small hills, called kopjes (KOPP-ees), are formed from rocks. Kopjes have their own type of vegetation and wildlife. In a land with few trees, kopjes provide shelter, shade, and protection for animals. The North American prairies often contain potholes, grass-filled depressions in the ground that fill with water after heavy rains.

Elevation

Grasslands are found at many elevations. The South African veld, for example, is divided into zones based on elevation. The lowveld is found between 500 and 2,000 feet (152 and 610 meters), the middle veld between 2,000 and 4,000 feet (610 and 1,219 meters), and the highveld between 4,000 and 6,000 feet (1,219 and 1,828 meters).

Colder grasslands are found at much higher elevations. The altiplano of the central Andes Mountains in Bolivia and Peru is...