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Savanna

Abiotic Factors

-Savannas are located in the tropics near the equator

-Mainly found in Africa

Abiotic Factors

Climate

-Savannas have periods of heavy rainfall followed by seasons of drought that can last 3-5 months

-The temperature ranges from 25-35 degrees celsius with an average of around 30 degrees

-Annual precipitation ranges between 50 and 127cm

Climate

Other Unique Factors

-During the dry season, savannas get less than 4 inches of rainfall per month

-Although it has a wet/dry climate, there is too little rain for many trees to grow

-In the summer the air becomes humid

-During the dry season, winds are strongest and come from the south east kicking up dirt and sand

-Grass fires are common during periods of drought because the land is most dry

Other Unique Factors

Biotic Factors

-The savanna biome is able to sustain an adequate amount of species and has a substantial speciation

-Although the number of different species is smaller, the number of individuals of each species is large

-Contains the greatest collection of grazing animals on earth

Biotic Factors

Plants

-Grasses form a continuous ground cover

-Taller trees can cover between 5 and 30 percent of the land

Elephant grass- found along lakes and rivers in dense clumps

-can grow up to 10ft tall

-leaves are 2-3ft long and razor sharp

Plants

Jackalberry trees- found in swampy areas with rocky soil

-usually grow to 18ft tall

-have a dense crown of leaves sitting on top of a narrow trunk

Red Oat Grass- most common grass

-slender and thin, 30-180cm tall

-leaves are 10-50cm long and their amount can vary

Plant Adaptations

- Trees and grasses have large underground root systems that survive fire, so the they can grow back quickly afterwards

-The same root systems collect excess water to help plants survive the dry season

-Coarse grasses also have vertical leaves that allow them to conserve water

-It is common for shorter trees and shrubs to have thorns or sharp leaves to deter herbivores

Plant Adaptations

Animals

Giraffes- herbivores that

have the ability to eat at

higher elevations

-tallest animals with a neck equally as long as legs

-live in towers of 10-20 giraffes

Gazelles- herbivores

-antelopes similar in appearance to deer or goats

-curved, ringed horns

-light and thin frame provides agility

Animals

Zebra- herbivores that live in large groups called harems

-only sleep when others are awake to warn of predators

-stripes act as camouflage in taller grasses

Animal Adaptations

-Many savanna herbivores have a migratory way of life, following rain and fresh grasses

-Animals only give birth during the wet season so that there is enough food and water to sustain the offspring

-To avoid competition, gazelles eat low grasses, black rhinos eat shrubs, and giraffes eat from the tallest trees

Animal Adaptations

Endangered Species

African wild dog- only 2,000 remain as of 2011

-carnivores that hunt hoofed animals such as antelope, zebras, and wildebeests

Endangered Species

Baobab Tree- fruit bearing and used to store water

-can grow up to 80 ft tall

-threatened by bark value and lack of seed dispersal

Black Rhino- just

over 4,000 as of 2011

-endangerment is caused by poaching for horns

Human Influences

-During the wet season there can be up to 100 people per square mile

-Savanna population varies as climate changes occur

-Human have built farms, houses, factories, and mines on land within the savanna

-Approximately 45 percent of people live in developed areas

Human Influences

-Humans poach savanna wildlife such as black rhinos, elephants, and wildebeests for their horns or tusks

- They also over harvest plant species because of their commercial value

Current Threats

-unsustainable water use and irrigation methods drain rivers and watering holes

-these agricultural practices deprive organisms of water and contriutes to desertification

-46,000 square kilometers of savanna per year becomes desert due to prolonged drought

Current Threats

-Although the amount of tall trees in the savanna is limited, the biome still suffers from deforestation

-Land is cleared for farming and trees are not replaced when cut down

-Farming and overgrazing

leads to erosion of the soil,

meaning that plants are

being disrupted

Solutions

-Rotating crop fields will give the soil time to recover

-Restoration could also include clearing dying vegetation to allow new grasses to grow

-Reduce the amount of people that utilize the land and lessen congested areas that disrupt migrant routes

-Support conservation organizations

-Reduce carbon emissions through reforestation

-Stop purchasing products made with resources from endangered animals

Solutions

Sources

-Arms, Karen. Environmental Science. Holt, 2000.

-https://php.radford.edu/~swoodwar/biomes/?page_id=105

-http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/exhibits/biomes/grasslands.php

-http://www.savanna.org.au/all/climate.html

-http://www.encyclopedia.com/science-and-technology/biology-and-genetics/environmental-studies/savanna

-http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/savanna.htm

-https://www.livescience.com/27336-giraffes.html

-https://sciencing.com/dangers-savanna-ecosystem-18220.html

-http://www.planetpatrol.info/savannah.html

-https://sciencing.com/dangers-savanna-ecosystem-18220.html

Sources

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