I Speak For The Trees

Coastal grassland around San Vicente, Guayas Province.  This is a dry dry dry biome, with only occasional Acacia trees showing a bit of green.  The dominant plants here are grasses, particularly tall, sharp-bladed relatives of Pampas grass.  It is prime ranching country despite the lack of green; this picture was taken only 5 km inland from the Pacific Ocean, and despite the frequent lightning storms that the area receives, it rarely rains.  This is not a threatened biome, rather one that is threatening the stability of others.  It’s estimated that the Coastal Grassland is encroaching on about 100 hectares a year of viable rice-growing areas inland.