Tropical Savannah Flashcards
Define/Describe the Tropical Savannah
it is found alongside the equator at 10 to 20 degrees latitude both North& South.
it is a large flat expanse with very few trees and lots of grasses (atleast 50% grass coverage). Along with two distinct seasons, summer & winter, this biome has a rainy wet season in summer and a dry season in the winter time. The other defining feature of the tropical savannah is that the temperature is fairly constant between seasons.
What is another name for Tropical Savannah?
Tropical Grasslands
Grasslands are generally found in areas where the rainfall is ______/________.
moderate/light
What type of climate is experienced in the tropical savannah?
a tropic continental type of climate
What is a very important feature of the tropic continental climate?
The bulk of the rainfall happens in the summer, half of the year and in the winter, half of the year, is very dry
Why do plants in the Savannah grow faster in the wet season?
because temperatures are high and there is plenty of moisture, but during the dry season growth us restricted.
What restricts growth in the savannah?
moisture
How do savannah plants survive the long dry season?
1) they have features which help them make good use of the limited water in the dry season.
2) have a seasonal pattern of growth & become dormant during the annual drought.
Describe the savannah plants & animals
The tallest trees are around 20m high and they often have wide spreading crowns. They mostly have features which help to conserve water in the dry season, such as small, leathery leaves to reduce transpiration or a thick bark. One type of tree in the savannah is the baobab tree and it has a large, swollen trunk which can store water. Many trees have deep roots, which can extract water from far below the surface.
The air is dry, so few epiphytes can grow and because there is no continuous tree canopy, few animals live in the branches. There are a large number of grazing animals, large carnivores and small rodents which can burrow and feed on bulbs & roots when water is scarce.
List 3 differences between savannah trees and rainforest trees.
- the tallest rainforest trees grow up to 50m & the tallest savannah trees grow up to 20m
- rainforest trees have slender trunks with smooths barks for easy removal of rainwater while savannah trees have a thick bark and a large, swollen trunk which can store water.
- the rainforest trees grow in layers and form a canopy while the savannah trees don’t form any canopy.
Why is grass a common plant in the savannah but not in the rainforest?
Grasses don’t grow in the rainforest because there is abundant plant matter but a lot isn’t on the ground but in the canopy. However, in the savannah, trees have an open canopy and that allows light to reach the ground.
What are some ways in which savannah trees adapt to climatic conditions?
1) when water becomes scarce the grasses turn brown to limit water loss
2) They store necessary moisture and nutrients in their roots while they awaits the return of the rainy season.
3) The grasses are able to survive the effects of fire. Fire stimulates new growth and replenishes the soil with nutrients.
4) The baobab tree only produces leaves in the wet season. Leaves grow in tiny finger-like clusters . The small size of the leaves limits loss.
Define wood land savannah
It is found in the wetter areas. It consists of tall grasses and clumps of trees as the rainfall decreases so grasses become shorter & trees less numerous
A common tree found in the African Savannah is the baobab tree. What are some characteristics of it?
It stores water in its trunk, in order to help it survive long periods of dry weather. The baobab tree is also deciduous. It sheds its leaves during the dry season and grows new ones at the start of the rainy season.
In the drier areas trees are replaced by thorny bushes called ________, which have leaves with small surface area and deep roots.
acacia
