TROPICAL GRASS LAND

• The tropical grass land is better known as "savanna"
• There are savannas in Africa, South America, Australia, and Aisia
• The most commonly known are the savannas in Africa
• They are composed almost entirely of grass
• They also have a few species of short trees

TROPICAL GRASS LAND

• Savannas have more rain than deserts
• But they have less rain than tropical rain forests
• Savannas are located on a thick belt around the equator
• Skirt the edges of rain forests

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• Location of savannas around the world.

WEATHER AND CLIMATE

• There is a warm temperature year round and there are frequent fires
• Two distinct seasons: wet summer and dry winter
• The wet season usually gets 15-25 inches of rain
• The dry season gets an average of 4 inches, with no rain in February
• The winter season still has a temperature of 70

BIOTIC FACTORS

• Animals
• Plants, shrubs, trees, and many types of grasses with deep roots
• The plants have waxy coverings to protect them in the dry season
• Grasses that grow from the root instead of the tip
• This allows them to come back quickly after being grazed

ANIMALS OF THE SAVANNA

• Many herds of hoofed grazing animals with different feeding patterns
• Serengeti Plains of Tanzania have lions, zebras, giraffes, and ungulates
• Any large herbivores can survive off the different grasses
• The carnivores in turn eat the herbivores
• Most animals in the savanna have long legs or wings for migration

ANIMALS OF THE SAVANNA

• The animals that don't migrate burrow in the ground
• This gives them warmth and a place to raise their young
• Ungulates are hoofed animals

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ABIOTIC FACTORS

• Warm and seasonal rainfall
• Frequent fires set by lightning
• Compact soils
• Land formations for shelter and protection

NICHES AND COMPETITION

• All the animals have different diets and preferences
• This gets rid of a lot of competiotion
• Up to 16 different species can live in one area
• This is because of different preferences, feeding times, and heights
• Ex. Cheetahs may prefer gazelles while lions like impala

SUCCESSION AND THREATS

• Over time, villages have grown in the savanna and used it for grazing
• This has caused over grazing and the grass cannot grow back
• There is no migration of sheep and goat herds belonging to villagers
• Every year the Sahara over takes a small part of the Savanna
• This is caused by over grazing and farming