African Savannah Research Paper

The African Savannah: A Southern Grassland
The African savannah is a tropical grassland which covers over half of Africa. Most of the plant life in the savannah is made up of tall grasses. These grasses are dominant due to the fact that they can survive fires and the long droughts. The plants grow from the bottom rather than the top, granting them the ability to regrow after fires. Elephant grass is one of these grasses. It has deep roots and grows in bunches up to 10 ft. tall. Ancient civilizations used to set fires to kill off the non-native species and strengthen the grasses and native trees. Some of the trees native to the savannah are Acacia and Baobab trees. The baobab trees only produce leaves in the wet season, have big trunks to store water, and are fire resistant.

The Acacia trees are also fire resistant, and are protected by their thorns, as well as a symbiotic relationship with the ants.

The ants make a home in the tree, and then in turn protect the tree’s leaves. Usually, the giraffes come and eat the lower leaves, making a dome shape out of the trees. The ants and the thorns both protect the leaves from giraffes. A final defense against these fierce herbivores is poison. When the giraffes bite into the leaves, an alkaloid is pumped into the leaves (Which doesn’t harm the animal, simply makes the leaves taste awful) deterring the giraffes after a few bites. After, the Acacia warns the other trees in the area by releasing a chemical into the

air.
The soil of the African savannah is deep and fertile, making humans impact this biome by turning most of the land into farms, and hunt the animals. The lions and elephants were killed for their hides and their tusks, and the agricultural use of the land was like a goldmine to the people living there. There are many herbivores, leading to many carnivores and predators. The carnivores are kept alive by the herbivores, and the herbivores are plentiful due to the plants. Some of the animals native to the African savannah are Elephants, giraffes, rhinos, zebras, lions, hyenas, and warthogs. This biome is warm all year long, with temperatures ranging from 68 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit.
The savannah has distinct wet and dry seasons, with the wet season in summer and the dry season during winter. In the wet season, some flowers bloom, and plants with thick stems and underground storage organs flourish liberally. During the wet season, around 20-30 inches of rainfall are received annually. During the dry season, only 4 inches are received. Although rare, severe storms can occur during the wet season. Metal resources found are bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, silver, nickel, tin, gold, manganese, uranium and magnesite. Different mineral resources found are diamonds, mineral sands, phosphate rock, kaolin, limestone and silica. The energy resources found in the savannah are coal and petroleum. Mining is a popular industry in the savannah, due to all the mineral and metal resources found there.
The unique features of the African savannah make it a peculiar place. The chemical reactions within the trees, the abundance of fertile soil, the tall grasses, and the wet and dry seasons all make this biome very interesting.