Biomes

Question 1

Savannah

Answer 1

Largest biome in south Africa
Savannahs are the wooded grasslands of the tropics and subtopics that accounts for 46%of the south African landscape.

Stretches from the Kalahari in the northwest to the lowveld in the northeast and south wards to the low lying areas of KwaZulu-Natal and the eastern capes

The climate:
Warm wet summers and cold dry winters

Type of soil Is sandy and lacking in nutrients

The vegetation is predominantly grasses like red grass and baobab.
Frequent veld fires prevents trees from dominating and encouraging the germination of seeds
Animals like the big five
Lion, elephant, leopard, rhinoceros and Buffalo

There are indigenous alien plants that use more water and are tougher

Question 2

Grassland

Answer 2

Covers the high central plateau of South Africa, the interior of KwaZulu-Natal and the mountainous areas of eater cape.

The climate are hot summers with high rainfalls and thunderstorms and old winter with heavy frost.

The type of soil is sand and leaching of nutrients commonly occurs during the rainy seasons making the soil acidic.

The vegetation, is mainly grasses with few trees
Sweet grasses with high nutritional value and serve as an important food source for animals, that grow in the less acidic more fertile soil.

Sour grasses grow in less fertile, acidic soil with little nutrients.
Grasses are adapted to survive the annual veld fires.

Animal life
Blesbok and eland
Blue crane

Question 3

Nama karoo

Answer 3

Extends over the wide central plateau of the western part of South Africa

The climate has very hot summers and cold winters with regular frosts
The semi desert area receives little rain
The soil is rich in lime and forms a thin layer over rocks
The vegetation is mostly grasses and shrubs like Christmas berry
The area is known for sheep and goat farming
Ostriches

Question 4

Endemic meaning

Answer 4

Endemic refers to a plant, animal, or disease that is native, consistently present, and exclusive to a specific geographic region or population.

Question 5

Succulent karoo

Answer 5

Extends over the arid western part of South Africa including namaqualand and the richtersveld.
The climate is very hot dry summers and cold winters with low rainfalls
The soil is rich in lime and forms a thin layer over rocks.
Plants are adapted to extreme dry summer conditions
The plants are small succulents with thick fleshy leaves that store water
Example stone plants and quiver trees
In springtime the biome is covered with flowers attracting tourists.
Animals here are nocturnal and hide in holes to escape hot dry conditions
Exmaple bat eared fox and barking gecko

Question 6

Nocturnal meaning

Answer 6

done, occurring, or active at night:

Question 7

Fynbos

Answer 7

Exclusively in the southwestern and southern parts of the western cape
Climate are cool wet winters and dry summers
The soil is sandy, acidic and unfertile due to leaching of nutrients.
The vegetation consists of evergreen shrubs with hard leaves like protease and ericas
Few grasses or tree occurs
Approximately 8600 flowering plant species and is one of the richest floral regions in South Africa
68%plant species are endemic
Fire is the important factor in the germination of seeds
Animal life like cape baboon and leopard
Nectar and seed eating birds

Question 8

Leaching of nutrients

Answer 8

loss of water-soluble plant nutrients from the soil, due to rain and irrigation.

Question 9

Germination of seeds

Answer 9

Germination of seeds refers to the process by which a seed begins to grow and develop into a plant, marked by the breaking of the seed coat and emergence of the root and shoot.

Question 10

Forests

Answer 10

Smallest biome
Best known forests - knysna and tsitsikamma forests in the southern cape.
Climate - high Rainfall and no frost
Type of soil fertile with thin layer of humus
Vegetation - yellowwood and ferns
Animal life bush pigs and monkeys

Question 11

Thicket

Answer 11

West coast of south Africa to KwaZulu-Natal, largest part in eastern cape
Climate varies as it extends over a large area.
Type of soil is shallow and varies from sandy loam to sandy clay soil that is rich in lime.
Vegetation - many of them have thorns like spekboom, euphorbia
Animal life - African elephant, kudu

Question 12

Epiphytes

Answer 12

Non parasitic plants that grow on the branches of trees for mechanical support like orchids

Question 13

Two types of biomes

Answer 13

Terrestrial and aquatic

Question 14

A biome derives it’s name from

Answer 14

The dominant type of vegetation in the area

Question 15

South African aquatic biomes

Answer 15

Marine and coastal biomes
Coral reefs
Open sea zone
Wetlands
Estuaries

Question 16

Estuaries

Answer 16

Areas where freshwater of streams or rivers meet with salt water of the sea
Plants like algae and seaweee
Animals like prawns and sponges
Water conditions temperature and salt content varies according to tides

Question 17

Wetland

Answer 17

Area of land which is covered predominantly by shallow water like marsh lands
It’s rich in biodiversity -
Birds
Large amounts of co2
River catchment by providing regular water supply by filtering the water naturally
Reduces effects of floods and drought

Question 18

Open sea zone

Answer 18

Open ocean where the temperature is cold and plankton main food provider for fish and whales

Question 19

Coral reefs

Answer 19

Shallow waters off northern coast of KwaZulu-Natal
Froemd by calcium carbonate of tiny corral animals
Large biodiversity

Question 20

Water is warm on the east coast

Answer 20

Bc of the warm Indian current and water on the west coast is cold bc of the benguela current and is rich in nutrients providing food

Question 21

Aquatic biomes are divided into

Answer 21

Fresh water biomes and marines

Question 22

Fresh water biomes

Answer 22

Rivers
Lakes

Question 23

Marine ecosystem

Answer 23

Estuaries
Coral reef
Open sea zone