Tropical Savanna Ryan Taylor, Afton Conner,

and Jessalyn Stivers

Table of Contents

• Overview• Zoology• Botany• Geography• Meteorology• Human influence• Questions• Glossary• Work cited

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Overview

• Tropical savannas are biomes full of interesting life. Though not many humans live in these regions, many exotic plants and animals thrive here.

1

Zoology (Animal Life)

• There are many different species that live in savannahs.

• Forty percent of the wildlife are mammals.• There are amphibians and hundreds of birds

that live in this habitat.

2

African Elephant

• These animals have special jobs • keep the savanna clear by eating shrubs and

trees which helps grass grow.• They are endangered because hunters and

poachers kill them for their ivory tusks to sell.

3

Egyptian Mongoose

• able to live in the savanna because the color of their fur blends with the surroundings of this area.

• preyed on by birds of prey and large carnivores on the savanna.

4

Estuarine Crocodile

- found in Australia, Southeast Asia, India and around western Pacific Islands.

- Not just found along coast, also found upstream in freshwater swamps and billabongs

5

Other Animals Found in this area

• Bats • Koala Bear• Lion • Zebra• Giraffe• Tiger• Baboons • African tree frog 6

Botany (Plant Life)

• Plants are highly specialized to grow in this environment for long periods of drought

• Have special qualities to obtain and conserve water

7

Senegal Gum Acacia

• Look like pea pods • Can survive in long droughts• Used for flavoring certain sodas

8

Baobab

• “upside down tree”• Leaves are made for condiments/ medicines

9

Bermuda Grass

• Stems are often purple in color• To Hindu, it is a sacred grass

10

Candelabra Tree

• Looks like small cactuses at the top which makes tree appear like candelabra

• Very poisonous

11

Manketti Tree

• Produce fruit and the nuts produce oil

12

Other plants include:

• Elephant grass• Gum tree eucalyptus• Jackalberry tree• Jarrah Tree • Kangaroo paw• River bushwillow• Umbrella thorn acacia • Whistling thorn 13

Geography

• constitutes extensive areas in eastern Africa, South America, India, Southern Brazil, Southern Florida, and Australia.

• Can be divided into 3 large areas: Western Plateau, Central Lowlands, Eastern Highlands

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Western Plateau

• Relatively flat• Coastal boundaries have more rugged areas

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Central Lowlands

• Flat and low- lying• Consists of sedimentary rocks

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Eastern Highlands

• Less pronounced• Area of some of the world’s highest waterfalls

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Other key geographic factors:

• River deltas• Peneplains• Underwater Avalanches• Sandstones• Basalt volcanic lava

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Meteorology

• Ranges from wet to dry seasons• Average monthly temperatures range at or above 64

degrees• Precipitation averages between 30 and 50 inches per

year• Dry season lasts for about 5 months and less than 4

inches of rain are received

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Human Influence

• Population of humans living in savannas are slowly decreasing due to opportunities available in domestic areas

• Majority of those living in savannas live in Africa• Poachers and hunters seeking elephant tusks

are common in these regions

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Questions• 1. What plant is used to make medicine?• 2. What tree is known as the “upside down tree”?• 3. Are there many people that live in the savanna?• 4. What is the annual rainfall percentage?• 5. What are the three regions of the geography? • 6. What three geographic factors of the savanna?• 7. What percentage of the animals are mammals?• 8. Are there amphibians that live here?

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Glossary

• Grasslands- areas where vegetation is dominated by grasses and other herbaceous plants

• Climate- prevailing weather conditions of an area• Tropical- region of Earth near the equator

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Work Cited

• www.radford.edu• www.blueplanetbiomes.com• www.worldbiomes.com• www.cotf.edu• www.mbgnet.net

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