Plants;
The savanna is basically composed of scattered trees and tall uniform grasses that are taller than a metre. Plants of the savanna are highly specialized to grow in this environment through long periods of drought (dry season). They have long tap roots that can reach deep into the water table thick barks to help it resist fires, trunks that store water and leaves that drop off during the dry season to store water. The grass even has adaptations to prevent animals from eating it, some grass types are too sharp or bitter tasting for some animals, but not to others to eat. A benefit of this is that every animal has something to eat. Also different species eat different parts of the grass.
Many plants of the savanna also have storage organs like bulbs for surviving the dry season. If there was no dry season, trees would populate the savanna. Trees do not populate the savanna as trees need a lot water and in the dry season it does not rain- trees can only grow in the wet season. There is a wide range of grasses in the savanna but an area is usually dominated by only two types of grasses. There are also various types of trees in the savanna. Some are only found along rivers these trees wither and die during the dry season because of lack of water (they cannot get water from rain or streams/rivers because they are dried up) Only drought-resistant plants can grow all year, during the wet and dry season.
Examples Of Plants;
Acacia Tree- This is the small to average sized thorn tree found in the African Savanna, which can grow up to 20 meters tall and has many branches. The acacia tree can live through long periods of drought and they tend to grow in sandy places where there is only between 12-15 inches of rainfall. The acacia provides shade and shelter for animals of the savanna. Giraffes, antelopes and elephants eat its leaves and birds make their nests in its branches and they are used as perches to look over flat grasslands.
Baobab Tree- The baobab tree is found in the savannas of Africa and India (basically they are located in areas around the equator). This tree grows up to 25 meters tall and can live for thousands of years. The baobab tree has a thick corky fire-resistant trunk. In the wet season this trunk is used to store water which is used throughout the dry season. The baobab’s bark, leaves, fruit and trunk are all used. The bark is used for cloth and rope, the leaves for medicines, the fruit is eaten and sometimes people even live inside of the huge trunks.
Wildlife;
The savanna is home to a wide variety of animals; Large land animals such as; elephants, giraffes, zebras, rhinoceros, buffalo, lions, leopards and cheetahs. And other animals such as baboons, crocodiles, antelopes, meerkats, ants, kangaroos, ostriches and snakes. Both herbivores and carnivores live in the Savanna. All of these animals have various adaptations that help it to survive. Many of the animals that live in the savanna depend on speed for survival, the savanna is vast and open which means that it is extremely difficult to escape from quick predators as there is nowhere to hide. If the prey is too slow in becomes dinner for the predator however if the predator is too slow it goes hungry. So speed is essential to survive. Camouflage is also important to animals that reside in the Savanna. Predators need camouflage to blend in with their environment and sneak up and surprise their unsuspecting prey. Prey use camouflage too, but as a defense mechanism, they use it to hide from predators.
Wildlife;
Most of the animals in the Savanna have long legs or wings which help them go on long migrations. Also some animals burrow under ground to avoid the heat and/or to raise their young. The savanna is the ideal biome for birds of prey such as hawks and buzzards. The plain is wide and open which provides them with a clear view of their prey and hot air updrafts keeps the flying. Like we said earlier herbivores and carnivores are found in the Savanna. Herbivores provide a range of food for the carnivores. Each carnivore has its own food preference, making it possible to live side by side with no conflict over food. In the savanna animals don’t sweat like us humans to lose body heat they lose it through panting or through large areas if exposed skin, or ears. A good example of this is the elephant. A more specific example of how animals are adapted would be the giraffe.
Only the giraffe is tall enough to reach the uppermost foliage of the acacia tree and giraffes can also go for weeks without water. Also Zebra’s have long legs which help them run quickly which in turn helps them to escape from predators.
To summarize, the savanna has a wide range of specialized plants and animals which all depend on each other to keep the environment in balance. There are over 40 species of hoofed mammals, 16 species of browsers (browsers are the animals which eat leaves of trees) and grazers which all coexist. There is hardly ever lack of food as they all have their own food preferences, grazing happens at different heights (compare the giraffes to the ants), time of day and different places to go (during the dry season).
Human Inflictions
Humans have caused a lot of changes to the landscape and animals of the savanna since a long time ago, large areas of grasslands have been cleared for farmlands, growing crops and for rearing cattle. Fires are also started by humans and spread quickly through grasses and damage the soils. Many animals have been killed for the value of their body parts; the ivory of elephants demanded a high price, the furs of lions were expensive and the meat of the bison was palatable. Many animals were hunted to near extinction such as bison and buffaloes. Today only 1% of grasslands is officially protected but the government is now more aware of this issue.
Humans also cut down Grasslands to make way for new housing and fields which means that there was no food available for wildlife, causing them to starve- and die. Both livestock and buffaloes competed for their food, attacking and killing each other! The problem of overgrazing caused soil erosion. Sandstorms brought damage to life and property. Humans, by their accidentally start fires which spread towards vast areas. Also savanna land is cultivated to plant corn and wheat the settlers do not allow the soil to rest by continuing planting and replanting, so the soil becomes infertile
Humans do affect the savanna in both positive and negative ways.
For example fires in the savanna are often caused by poachers who want to clear away dead grass to make it easier to see their prey. The fires do not completely destroy the savanna. In fact most of the animals killed by these fires are insects with short life spans. The fire could also cause a feast for some animals such as birds of prey that come to fire sites to feed on grasshoppers, stick insects, beetles, mice and lizards that are killed/driven out by the fire. Other small creatures these fires by finding refuge in underground holes and larger animals are usually able to run fast enough to escape the fire. However the grass and plants are burnt to crisp, but the grasses deep roots remain unharmed. Trees survive a fire by retaining some moisture in all their above ground parts throughout the dry season and trees such as the baobab have fire resistant trunks. Fires leave scorched earth covered with black ash behind, the soils become irreversibly damaged. Governments are now much more aware of these issues and the savanna is being partitioned and placed under government protection. Areas are being converted into national parks and their grasses are being replanted. This increases awareness and is certainly necessary in protecting the savanna biome.
The savanna is an amazing biome it is home to a large number of animals and a variety of plants. Humans have affected this biome in a number of ways- mostly negatively however humans are now aware of this issue and have begun to try to undo their wrongs. These efforts so far have proved successful, governments should keep doing what they’re doing and then the savanna and its residents will be completely safe and the balance will remain intact.
