Savanna

1. Frédéric Salein Savanna • Markee D.

2. Location • Savannas can be found over most of Africa, India, parts of South American, and the upper part of Australia (Defenders). • African countries with savannas include Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Kenya (Biology). • Australia has regions in the upper north that are savannas (Biology). • Columbia and Venezuela are two countries in South America with small areas of savannas (Biology). • Close to the equator staying between the tropics of cancer and capricorn regions (defenders). • 20% of the Earth is Savanna (Savanna). • Markee D

3. Savanna Climate • The temperature ranges from 61˚F - 91˚F (Buzzle). • Wet season tends to have a lower temperature while the dry season has higher temperatures (Buzzle). • Precipitation has an average of 30-50 inches (Buzzle). • The precipitation varies during the two distinctive seasons. The wet season may have up to 50 inches of rain while the dry season may receive only 4 inches of rain (Biology). Image By Arthur Chapman

4. Savanna Features • Savannas are very dry • The rain fall occurs around six or 8 months out of the year. The rest of the year is just drought. • The soil of is constantly deprived of water. • Thin layer of humus on top of the soil. • The Humus is composed of decomposed plants and animals. • The thin layer of humus allows vegetation (Defenders). Frédéric Salein

5. Savanna Animals • The Black Mamba, Rock Python • Meerkats • Gazelle, Impala • Zebra, Wildebeest (List of Savanna Animals). • Elephant, Buffalo, Giraffe (Buzzle). • Animals vary depending on the continents. • List of Animals include: • Kangaroo • Crocodile • Lions, Leopards • Cheetahs • Vultures(Savanna Biome Facts). Alan Berning gmacfadyen

6. Savanna Vegetation • Due to little fertility in the soil, grass is dominant in the biome. • Savannas in Africa can be either grasslands or shrub-lands (Buzzle). • Vegetation in the savannas include wild grass, acacia trees, shrubs, tall grass, and baobab trees. • Grass and shrubs are clumped together. • Vegetation has adapted to the lack of water during the dry seasons (Biology). Image By Government Press Office

7. Savanna Biome Threats • Tourist taken on safaris increase the pollution in the air due to the vehicles. • Poaching in safaris pose a threat to elephants, lions, and other animals. • With few lions and too many herbivores the grass could be depleted (Savanna Biome). • The African Wild Dog, Black Rhinoceros, and Golden Cheeked Warbler, and Blue-throated Macaw are the animals endangered in this biome (Endangered Species). Image by Hannes Steyn.

8. Abiotic Features • Fire is the main abiotic feature. Savannas over time could grow into tropical rainforest. • The soil supports just grass and shrubs and the occasional tree. • Air is a main abiotic factor without it the animals couldn't live. • The soil is also an abiotic factor even though the soil is only fertile enough to provide life for various grasses and the occasional tree. • The water from the wet season is stored in plants so they last through the dry season (abiotic factors). Image by Ghintang

9. Interesting facts • The boab tree can store thousands of liter of water in its trunk and branches for the dry season. • During fires in the dry season the stems of plants aren't damaged but the leaves are. • Most forms of grass grow to at least one foot (flora). • Hyenas can weigh over 150 lbs. in adulthood. • Cheetahs can travel at speeds close to 70 mph (fauna). Philip Tellis

10. Works Cited • Bailey, Regina. "Land Biomes: Savannas." Biology. About, No Date. Web. 6 October 2012. http://biology.about.com/od/landbiomes/a/aa041706a.htm • “Savanna.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation Inc, 22 October 2012. Web 10 October 2012. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Savanna • "Savanna: Africa - Abiotic Factors." Savanna Africa. Green Team Science, 15 November 2005. Web. 1 October 2012. http://www2.newcanaan.k12.ct.us/education/components/scrapbook/default.php?sectiondetailid=11272 • "Savanna: Africa - Flora." Savanna Africa. Green Team Science, 15 November 2005. Web. 1 October 2012. http://www2.newcanaan.k12.ct.us/education/components/scrapbook/default.php?sectiondetailid=10873& • Savanna: Africa - Fauna." Savanna Africa. Green Team Science, 15 November 2005. Web. 1 October 2012. http://www2.newcanaan.k12.ct.us/education/components/scrapbook/default.php?sectiondetailid=10884& • "Savanna Biome." BioExpedition. BioExpedition, No Date. Web. 6 October 2012. http://bioexpedition.com/savanna-biome/ • Sandhyarani, Ningthoujam. "Savanna Biome Facts." Buzzle. Buzzle, 27 May 2011. Web. 7 October 2012. http://www.buzzle.com/articles/savanna-biome-facts.html • Schowalter-Hay, Ethan. "Endangered Species in the Savanna Biome." Ehow. Demand Media, inc., No Date. Web. 5 October 2012. http://www.ehow.com/info_7843983_endangered-species-savanna-biome.html • "Tropical Grasslands (Savannas)." Defenders of Wild Life. Defenders of Wild Life, No Date. Web. 7 October 2012. http://www.defenders.org/grasslands/tropical-grasslands • Zmuida, China. "List of Savanna Animals" Biology. About, No Date. Web. 6 September 2012. http://www.ehow.com/info_8152954_list-savanna-animals.htm

11. Pictures Cited • Berning, Alan. Leopard. 18 January 2005. Flickr, web. 10 October 2012. • Chapman, Arthur. Lexodonta africana africana (African Savan Elephant). 20 June 2012. Flickr, web. 15 October 2012 • gmacfadyen. Leopard_2052. 18 March 2012. Flickr, web. 10 October 2012. • pierre c. 38. Gazelle. 28 January 2012. Flickr, web. 15 October 2012. • Salein, Frédéric. Elephants, cattle-egrets. 19 June 2010. Flickr, web. 5 October 2012. • Salein, Frédéric. Female Impala on the run. 21 June 2010. Flickr, web. 5 October 2012. • Steyn, Hannes. Juvenile Africa Rock Python – Koedoesdraai. 18 February 2009. Flickr, web. 10 October 2012. • Tellis, Philip. 400 Year Old Boab Tree. 14 September 2006. Flickr, web. 7 October 2012.