Download Savannah Ecosystem Climate and other factors: Savannas are part

Savannah Ecosystem
Climate and other factors:
Savannas are part of the Grassland biome, and are generally found in regions dominated by the
“Wet-Dry Climate”. Tropical Savannas encompass almost one half of the entire continent of
Africa as well as many parts of Australia, India, Mexico, and South America. The Tropical
Savannas in Australia take up over one-third of the country, and provide natural resources that
contribute much of the money that supports the national economy. The Climate is the most
important factor in creating a savanna. Tropical Savannas are always found in hot weather with a
mean temperature of among eighty-five to ninety degrees Fahrenheit, where the annual rainfall is
from about twenty to fifty inches per year. Yet the rain does not fall at a constant rate all year. In
fact, practically all the rainfall is condensed into six months of the year, known as the Wet
Season. On the contrast, the following six months is a long period of drought, and yes, this time
is called nothing but the Dry Season. Savannas are often what surround the very wet Tropical
Rain forest.
The Abiotic factors, non-biological factors that are part of Savannas are temperature, climate,
soil and sunlight. All of these factors are crucial to the biome and how it the organisms in it
succeed. Most Savanna soils are rather poor, but they have better quality of soil than that of the
soil in the rain forest. But the savanna has less rainfall, and plants need water to survive.
Biotic factors or biological factors that influence and are a part of this biome are ALL organisms
living in the biome. The vegetation of the Savannas consists of tall grasses such as star grass, and
red oat grass both of which can grow reaching a height of three meters. Trees are present but not
amply because since the water is so scarce, trees are unable to grow profusely and are subjected
to grow in only the places wherever tree roots can reach underground water. A few notable
species of trees in the savanna are Acacia tree and the baobab tree. Plants in the savanna have to
adapt to the long dry season in a number of ways. The Baobab tree stores water in its trunk,
drawing on the moisture and then go into a state of dormancy. Grasses turn brown and trees turn
their leaves to reduce transpiration.
In every biome the Abiotic and biotic factors interact with one another. The sunlight helps with
the photosynthesis of the trees and the vegetation who then take in the carbon dioxide in the air,
and produce oxygen for the animals and other oxygen in taking organisms. The soil is also a
breeding ground and living shelter for many small creatures. These creatures such as the
earthworm and African termite and beetle need the soil to shield and conceal them. Energy, the
capacity to do work and transfer heat is necessary to obtain, in order to survive in any
environment. Energy comes in many forms. The sun is the main origin of energy. It provides the
nutrients needed for plant growth or the producers, which provides food for the primary
consumers, the herbivores. The carnivores being the secondary consumers feed on the primary
consumers. This way of classification is known as Trophic levels.
The primary producers, i.e. Acacia trees, red oat grasses, and baobab trees have the most energy
than any other organism living in the savanna. They are autotrophs and get their energy primarily
from the sun. These autotrophs or primary producers are then consumed by the primary
consumers. The primary consumers, i.e. zebras, gazelles, wildebeest, get ten percent of energy
from what the producers have. From there, the secondary consumers come into play; these
animals such as cheetah, lion, and hyena consume the primary consumers and then receive ten
percent of the energy from them. Once the animals die their energy get stored in the soil and
used again in the cycle. For example: the red oat grass is consumed by the Thomson gazelle, the
Thomson gazelle is then attacked and consumed by the cheetah, the cheetah is consumed by the
lion, the lion once dead is consumed by the vultures and the land scavengers, and they are
consumed by the decomposers. Symbiotic, mutualistic, and parasitic relationships are very
common in the savanna. An example of a symbiotic relationship is the African Elephant and the
tick. The tick lives on the elephant and shields them. The elephant receives benefit as well. They
get cleaned and maintain that any outside parasites do not come in to the elephant and damage. A
type of parasitic relationship is the African termite and the Acacia trees. The termites consume
all the nutrients from the inside of the tree killing it.
(Most of the things above are from college term papers of students I read on the internet)
OK, Zebra has to move to producers list, that’s a correction. Then there are more plants than the
one’s listed here.
Suggestion: If the players buy animals that are on the verge of extinction and try some ways to
increase their population, they get bonus XP.
Invertebrates: grasshoppers, termites, and beetles
Vegetation
1. Acacia
Predators: giraffe, antelope, elephant
Climate: sandy, dry places
Adaptation to savanna: sustain drought, leaves with thick cuticle to store water
Size: small to age, up to 20 meters tall
Features: green-grey leaves, yellow flowers, paired thorns on branches
Uses: gum Arabic used in medicines
Scientific name: Senegal Gum Acacia
2. Baobab
Predators: bat, monkey and baboons eat fruits. Elephant eats fruits and leaves
Climate:
Adaptation: In the wet months water is stored in its thick, corky, fire-resistant trunk for the nine
aaaaaaaaaaa dry months ahead.
Size: 25 mts tall, slow growth, trunk may be up to 6–10 meters in diameter.
Features: Fire resistant, unusual, swollen, relatively short, bottle shaped trunk (about 15 m in
height) in which spongy fibers store water for the dry season.
Uses: baobab's bark, leaves, fruit, and trunk are all used
Scientific name: Adansonia digitata
Life span: 500 years+ but it is believed that some trees are up to 5000 years old. Baobab trees
flower for the first time at about 20 years. (Nocturnal pollination)
It provides shelter and home for a great variety of animals. Galagos (bush baby), squirrels,
rodents, lizards, snakes and tree frogs, as well as spiders, scorpions and insects may live out their
entire life in a single tree. Holes in the trunk provide ideal nesting sites for birds such as rollers,
hornbills, parrots, kestrels and spine tails.
3. Bermuda Grass:
Predators: zebra, Gazelles, Wildebeests etc.
Climate: very persistent and aggressive vegetation. Bermuda grass does not grow well under
low light (shaded) conditions. It grows in open areas where there are frequent disturbances such
as grazing, flooding, and fire.
Adaptation:
Size: The seed heads are on 1-3 inch (3-7 cm) spikes and are themselves about 2 inches long.
Rapid growth.
Features: It also reproduces from roots under the ground. It has a deep root system, and in
drought situations the root system can grow 47 to 59 inches (120-150 cm) deep.
Uses:
Scientific name: Cynodon dactylon
Life span: (expectancy) 3 to 5 years
4. Candelabra tree:
Predators: poisonous so keeps the animals away
Climate:
Adaptation:
Size: 30-40 ft. tall/10 mts
Features: The branches all grow from one trunk, and look like little cactuses that grow near the
top, giving it the shape of a candelabra. It has little yellow flowers in mid-winter.
Uses: beautiful but poisonous
Scientific name: Euphorbia ingens
Life span:
5. Elephant Grass
Predators: favorite food of elephants,
Climate: It likes tropical weather and can be killed by a light frost. The underground parts will
stay alive if the soil doesn't freeze.
Adaptation: Recovers well following fire, and can dominate fire-adapted savannah
communities.
Size: 2–4.5 meters (6.6–14.8 ft.) tall
Features: Yellowish or purple in color, the stems are coarse and hairy, and about 1 inch thick
nears the base. The leaves are 2 to 3 feet long, pointed at the ends, and about 1 inch wide. The
edges of the leaves are razor-sharp
Uses:
Scientific name: Pennisetum purpureum
Life span: long (number not found)
Animals:
Herbivores
1. African Elephant
Scientific name: Loxodonta africana
diet: grasses, buds, fruits, leaves, roots and bark. They can eat up to 350 pounds of food each
day and their foraging can drastically alter the landscape. An adult elephant can drink up to 200
liters of water in a single session.
size: up to 3000 pounds, 13 to 16 ft. tall
features: large ears, trunk - serves as nose, hand and an extra foot, a signaling device and a tool
for gathering food, siphoning water, dusting, digging and a variety of other functions.
Predators: lions, hyenas.
Lifespan: The average life span of an African savanna elephant in the wild is 60 years.
Reproduction: Older and larger males—especially those in musth (condition of heightened
testosterone levels)—dominate the breeding, winning the acceptance of females in heat.
Gestation lasts 22 months and usually only one calf is born. Female African savanna elephants
can usually breed by age ten and give birth to one young every four years.
They move in groups of 10-15
2. Zebra
Scientific name: Equus quagga boehmi
Diet: Grazes on long, coarse grasses
Size: Approximately 120-140 cm (47-55 in) at shoulder, Up to 300 kg (660 lbs.)
Features: The Grant's zebra has a stout, horse-shaped body with broad vertical dark brown
stripes set against white or off-white fur. The vertical stripes continue all the way around belly
and become horizontal on the legs, and start to fade on the rump. The mane is erect, unlike a
horses', and the ears are large and donkey-like with thick fur inside.
Predators: Lions and hyena are the main predators. Others include leopards, cheetahs, and wild
dogs.
Lifespan:
Averages up to 20 years
Reproduction: Gestation lasts approximately 11.5-12 months; one offspring
NURSING DURATION
Foals nurse for at least 6 months
SEXUAL MATURITY:
About 3 years for females; longer for males
Groups of up to 17 animals headed by a single stallion
Fun facts: Grant's zebra are very cooperative: a migrating group will adjust their speed to
accommodate the slowest member of the herd. Within several minutes of its birth, a newborn
zebra begins to walk, and within just a few hours is capable of running with the rest of the herd.
If forced to face a predator, a zebra will defend itself with powerful kicks. Just one strong, wellplaced kick from a zebra is sufficient to kill a predator as large as a hyena.
3. Giraffe
Scientific Name: Giraffa camelopardalis
Diet: Giraffes eat the leaves of a variety of deciduous and evergreen trees and shrubs. Acacia
species are among their favorites. An adult giraffe may consume up to 140 pounds of foliage a
day.
Size: Males stand up to 18 feet tall and weigh up to 4,200 pounds; females grow to 16 feet tall
and weigh up to 2,500 pounds.
Features: Giraffes' long limbs, necks, and tongues enable them to reach vegetation in the trees—
well above where other browsers can reach.
Predators: The giraffe doesn't have much to fear except when they're drinking because then they
can't run or kick so the predators can jump on them. The giraffes' predators are lions and
leopards. The giraffe's skin is so hard; it is very hard to chew.
Lifespan: Giraffes live up to 25 years in the wild and often longer at zoos.
Reproduction: Giraffes breed throughout the year. Males go from female herd to female herd
seeking prospective mates. They zero in on females in heat, often feeding beside them and
occasionally tangling necks. Fourteen to 15 months after mating takes place, females give birth
to a single calf (rarely two). During their first few weeks, calves stay close to their mothers; soon
after, they join a group of young called a crèche.
Other facts: female giraffes travel in loosely structured herds, as do young males. However,
older males are usually solitary, spending their days seeking female herds containing prospective
mates. Males sometimes fight, using their up-to-25-pound heads, nine-inch horns, and strong
necks. (These battles rarely result in injury.) Females protect their young by kicking at predators
with their dinner-plate-sized hooves. First-year calves join crèches, which are often left
unattended by adults. Ever watchful for predators, giraffes sleep only about a half-hour a day,
and this time is usually broken up into about six, five-minute naps.
Carnivores
1. Lion
Scientific name: Panthera leo
diet: Zebra, deer, elephant, gazelles and buffalo
size: Head and body, 4.5 to 6.5 ft. (1.4 to 2 m); Tail, 26.25 to 39.5 in (67 to 100 cm), 265 to 420
lbs., and up to 10 feet long.
feature: Fiercely protective of his pride (family unit), male lions patrol a vast territory normally
covering about 100 square miles (260 square kilometers).
Predators: top animal with no predator, once dead vultures and other scavengers feed on it.
Lifespan: The average lifespan of a lion is about 16 years in the wild. In captivity they can live
about
26
years.
Reproduction: After a gestation period of about 110 days, the lioness will retreat to a secluded
area to give birth. The average litter comprises of three cubs but this may vary from one to six in
rare instances. The cubs weigh no more than 1.5 kg at birth: they are blind and barely able to
crawl, and therefore helpless against predators.
Other: Each pride is like a community of 4 to 40 individuals. They all help hunt in order to keep
every member healthy, and every cub fed.
The lion can be crucial to other animal's survival. When a lion makes a kill and is done eating,
there are usually leftovers, or scraps, which scavengers like vultures and the occasional hyena,
come and eat, and thus are helped to survive too.
2. African Wild dogs
Scientific Name: Lycaon pictus (meaning painted wolf).
Diet: They eat anything they can catch from small hares to zebras. Usually they hunt mediumsized herd animals such as impalas, Thompson’s gazelles, gnus, and wildebeest. African wild
dogs always eat fresh kills and never scavenge for food. Many animals the African wild dog
hunts migrate during the dry season. The African wild dogs don't follow them. During
migrations the dogs survive on bugs and rodents.
Size: The African wild dog's over all body length is between 75 and 100 cm (29 and 39 in), and
they stand between 61 and 78 cm. (23 and 30 in.) at the shoulders. Their tail is between 30 and
90 cm. (12 and 15 in.). They weigh 18 to 36 kg (37 to 79 pounds). The males and females are
about the same size.
Features: African wild dogs have long, thin bodies, large oval shaped ears, short broad muzzles,
and long muscular legs. They come in a variety of colors (black, white, tan, yellow, brown, and
gray) and patterns. Each dog’s pattern is unique and bilaterally asymmetrical (each side doesn’t
match). Their colorful fur is short and sparse with basically no undercoat. The skin underneath is
often visible.
Predators: Lions and Hyenas (some sources say no predators except for humans need
clarification)
Lifespan: They live approximately 10-13 years in captivity and can live up to 10 years in the
wild.
Reproduction: African wild dogs reach sexual maturity around 12-18 months old, but don’t
mate until at least 22 months of age. Due to the hierarchy system, only the alpha male and female
mate. If a subordinate female wants to reproduce, she would have to move to a different pack. If
a subordinate female did reproduce, the alpha female can prevent her from caring for her pups or
even kill them. Breeding occurs once a year at a time when there is abundant prey. (between
December and March).
The female is pregnant for 10 weeks. Two to twenty puppies are born, but the litter size is
usually about 10 puppies. The mother will give birth in a grass-lined burrow, and the puppies
will stay there for 3 to 4 weeks. The whole pack cares for the pups once they are out of the
burrow. The adults take turns to hunt so the pups aren't left alone.
3. Aardwolf
Scientific name: Proteles cristata. Aardwolves are classified in the same family as hyenas but in
a different subfamily. They are sometimes referred to as a type of hyena instead of a hyena
relative.
Diet: The aardwolf's prey is termites, insect larvae, and eggs of ground nesting birds. It usually
eats termites, but occasionally, it will find some carrion that the hyenas have killed, or a small
rodent to eat.
Size: The aardwolf is a very small and shy animal compared to its bigger and more aggressive
relatives, the hyenas. It is about 15-20 inches from the shoulder to the ground. Its tail is 8-12
inches. The aardwolf usually weighs between 50 and 60 pounds.
Features: It is a light buff color, with an orange tint to it. Five to six thick black stripes run down
its sides. Its legs are banded with black, and the part under the knee is completely black. Its fur is
long and it has coarse guard hairs. It has a mane going down from the head along the back of its
neck towards the tail, which is long and bushy and becomes erect when they are frightened. The
head of the aardwolf looks like a dog's, except it has bigger and more pointed ears. The aardwolf
has big ears to hear termites underground when it is hunting. The ears are also large to help the
aardwolf lose body heat. Its eyes are black, rather small, and are facing front, for depth
perception.
Predators: The aardwolf's predators are lions, leopards, poisonous snakes, larger hyenas, and
humans.
Lifespan: Its life span is up to 14 years in captivity, and about 10 years in the wild. The
aardwolf is a nocturnal animal. It spends the day in abandoned burrows of the aardvark. They
pick these burrows because they are usually close to an abundance of termites.
Reproduction: The aardwolf reaches sexual maturity at the age of two years. They mate
throughout the year. Its gestation period is 90 to 100 days. The birth interval is one year. The
number of young a mother aardwolf can produce is anywhere from one to six, but typically it is
between two and four cubs. The cubs are born blind and helpless. Both parents raise the young.
The cubs rely on their parents for 16 to 20 weeks. The cubs spend six to eight weeks in the den.
After that period, at about three months, the young aardwolves are ready to start foraging with
one or both parents. They do that for about a month. At about four months, they start foraging on
their own.
Other facts: The aardwolf is a solitary animal, except when raising young. Several females with
cubs may share a burrow. It doesn't have groups because of their sole diet of termites