Savanna Ecosystems | How Plants and Animals Survive on the Savanna

Описание: Future Zoologist Academy is a virtual zoology and ecology program for kids who love animals. Explore the complete Savanna Ecosystems lesson using the link below.

https://futurezoologistacademy.com/le...

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Think about where African elephants and giraffes like to live. What do you picture? What plants are around? What is the weather like?


The savanna is a very interesting ecosystem. It is sometimes described as a grassland with woodland features! It has lots of grass, many species, but it does also have scattered trees. Because the trees in the savanna are widespread, we call it an open canopy.

One major characteristic of a savanna ecosystem is seasonal rains. Savannas tend to have a wet season with large storms and a dry season, which can be months with very little rainfall. The sporadic rainfall is one of the reasons more trees can't grow!

The dry season can also lead to intense fires that are started from lightning. These fires are an important part of savanna ecosystems because, as they burn dry, brittle grasses, the ash falls to the soil and adds nutrients, allowing new plants to thrive during the wet season. Most established trees are resistant to fires, but the fires do wipe out young trees, which is another reason trees don’t take over the landscape!

Savanna often exist as a transition between ecosystems - at the edge of forests, grasslands, and deserts. We typically picture the savanna of Africa, but savannas exist on many continents, including South America and Australia.

What challenges do plants and animals face in the savanna?

The major one is periods of drought. To survive the dry season, plants and animals have many strategies. The baobab tree is known for its massive trunk, which is fire resistant and can store huge quantities of water.

Many trees, like the acacia tree, have deep tap roots that are used to tap into available groundwater. The acacia tree also has wide roots that allow it to absorb lots of water when it does finally rain. Plants also trap water by having small leaves or leaves with waxy coatings.

During the dry season, grasses become dormant and turn brown, which helps save energy and reduce water loss.


Another threat that plants face is… herbivores. Plants like acacia trees have sharp spines and gross tasting leaves. In fact, acacia trees are masters at avoiding herbivores and only a few have learned how to out smart this plant.


Animals also have to overcome intense drought.

Many animals get the moisture they need from their food. Meerkats are a great example of this - they get almost all the water they need from juicy insects and arachnids.

Other animals, like large mammals and birds, simply migrate to follow the rain patterns. Elephants have incredible memories and can travel to places they have found water in the past.

Some animals avoid the drought all together by hibernating or brumating. This helps them save energy and they don’t need as much food or water.


In any ecosystem, plants and animals must adapt to survive and the savanna is no different.




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