Large expanses of land in the tropics do not receive enough rainfall to support extensive tree cover. The tropical and subtropical grasslands, savannas, and shrublands are characterized by rainfall levels between 90–150 centimetres (35–59 in) per year.[1] Rainfall can be highly seasonal, with the entire year's rainfall sometimes occurring within a couple of weeks.
African savannas occur between forest or woodland regions and grassland regions. Flora includes acacia and baobab trees, grass, and low shrubs. Acacia trees lose their leaves in the dry season to conserve moisture, while the baobab stores water in its trunk for the dry season. Many of these savannas are in Africa.
Large mammals that have evolved to take advantage of the ample forage typify the biodiversity associated with these habitats. These large mammal faunas are richest in African savannas and grasslands. The most intact assemblages currently occur in East African Acacia savannas and Zambezian savannas consisting of mosaics of miombo, mopane, and other habitats.[3] Large-scale migration of tropical savanna herbivores, such as wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus) and zebra (Equus quagga), are continuing to decline through habitat alteration and hunting.[1] They now only occur to any significant degree in East Africa and the central Zambezian region. Much of the extraordinary abundance of Guinean and Sahelian savannas has been eliminated, although the large-scale migrations of Ugandan Kob still occur in the savannas in the Sudd region.[1] The Sudan type of climate is characterized by an alternating hot and rainy season, and a cool and dry season. In the Northern Hemisphere, the hot rainy season normally begins in May and lasts until September. Rainfall varies from 25 cm to 150 cm and is usually unreliable. The rest of the year is cool and dry. Rainfall decreases as one goes either towards North in Northern Hemisphere or South in the Southern Hemisphere. Drought is very common.
Occurrenceedit
Tropical and subtropical grasslands, savannas, and shrublands occur on all continents but Antarctica. They are widespread in Africa, and are also found all throughout South Asia and Southeast Asia, the northern parts of South America and Australia, and the southern United States.
^ abcd This article incorporates text available under the CC BY-SA 3.0 license. World Wide Fund for Nature. "Tropical and Subtropical Grasslands, Savannas and Shrubland Ecoregions". from the original on 2012-04-25. Retrieved 2019-05-29.
^Waugh, David (2009). Geography : an integrated approach (4th ed.). Cheltenham: Nelson Thornes. ISBN978-1-4085-0407-9. OCLC 318672928.
^McClanahan, TR; Young, TP, eds. (1996). East African ecosystems and their conservation. New York: Oxford University Press.
External linksedit
Media related to Tropical and subtropical grasslands, savannas, and shrublands at Wikimedia Commons
February 16, 2024
tropical, subtropical, grasslands, savannas, shrublands, tropical, savanna, redirects, here, climate, classification, tropical, savanna, climate, terrestrial, biome, defined, world, wide, fund, nature, biome, dominated, grass, shrubs, located, semi, arid, semi. Tropical savanna redirects here For the climate classification see Tropical savanna climate Tropical and subtropical grasslands savannas and shrublands is a terrestrial biome defined by the World Wide Fund for Nature 1 The biome is dominated by grass and or shrubs located in semi arid to semi humid climate regions of subtropical and tropical latitudes Tropical grasslands are mainly found between 5 degrees and 20 degrees in both North and south of the Equator 2 Extent of tropical and subtropical grasslands savannas and shrublands Contents 1 Description 2 Occurrence 3 Ecoregions 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksDescription editGrasslands are dominated by grasses and other herbaceous plants Savannas are grasslands with scattered trees Shrublands are dominated by woody or herbaceous shrubs Large expanses of land in the tropics do not receive enough rainfall to support extensive tree cover The tropical and subtropical grasslands savannas and shrublands are characterized by rainfall levels between 90 150 centimetres 35 59 in per year 1 Rainfall can be highly seasonal with the entire year s rainfall sometimes occurring within a couple of weeks African savannas occur between forest or woodland regions and grassland regions Flora includes acacia and baobab trees grass and low shrubs Acacia trees lose their leaves in the dry season to conserve moisture while the baobab stores water in its trunk for the dry season Many of these savannas are in Africa Large mammals that have evolved to take advantage of the ample forage typify the biodiversity associated with these habitats These large mammal faunas are richest in African savannas and grasslands The most intact assemblages currently occur in East African Acacia savannas and Zambezian savannas consisting of mosaics of miombo mopane and other habitats 3 Large scale migration of tropical savanna herbivores such as wildebeest Connochaetes taurinus and zebra Equus quagga are continuing to decline through habitat alteration and hunting 1 They now only occur to any significant degree in East Africa and the central Zambezian region Much of the extraordinary abundance of Guinean and Sahelian savannas has been eliminated although the large scale migrations of Ugandan Kob still occur in the savannas in the Sudd region 1 The Sudan type of climate is characterized by an alternating hot and rainy season and a cool and dry season In the Northern Hemisphere the hot rainy season normally begins in May and lasts until September Rainfall varies from 25 cm to 150 cm and is usually unreliable The rest of the year is cool and dry Rainfall decreases as one goes either towards North in Northern Hemisphere or South in the Southern Hemisphere Drought is very common Occurrence editTropical and subtropical grasslands savannas and shrublands occur on all continents but Antarctica They are widespread in Africa and are also found all throughout South Asia and Southeast Asia the northern parts of South America and Australia and the southern United States Ecoregions editAfrotropical tropical and subtropical grasslands savannas and shrublands ecoregionsvteAngolan miombo woodlands AngolaAngolan mopane woodlands Angola NamibiaAscension scrub and grasslands Ascension IslandCentral Zambezian miombo woodlands Angola Burundi Democratic Republic of the Congo Malawi Tanzania ZambiaEast Sudanian savanna Cameroon Central African Republic Chad Democratic Republic of the Congo Eritrea Ethiopia South Sudan Sudan UgandaEastern miombo woodlands Mozambique TanzaniaGuinean forest savanna mosaic Benin Burkina Faso Cameroon Gambia Ghana Guinea Guinea Bissau Ivory Coast Nigeria Senegal TogoItigi Sumbu thicket Tanzania ZambiaKalahari Acacia Baikiaea woodlands Botswana Namibia South Africa ZimbabweMandara Plateau mosaic Cameroon NigeriaNorthern Acacia Commiphora bushlands and thickets Ethiopia Kenya South Sudan UgandaNorthern Congolian forest savanna mosaic Cameroon Central African Republic Democratic Republic of the Congo South Sudan UgandaSahelian Acacia savanna Burkina Faso Cameroon Chad Eritrea Ethiopia Mali Mauritania Niger Nigeria Senegal South Sudan SudanSerengeti volcanic grasslands Kenya TanzaniaSomali Acacia Commiphora bushlands and thickets Eritrea Ethiopia Kenya SomaliaSouth Arabian fog woodlands shrublands and dune Oman Saudi Arabia YemenSouthern Acacia Commiphora bushlands and thickets Kenya TanzaniaSouthern Africa bushveld Botswana South Africa ZimbabweSouthern Congolian forest savanna mosaic Angola Democratic Republic of the CongoSouthern miombo woodlands Malawi Mozambique Zambia ZimbabweSaint Helena scrub and woodlands Saint HelenaVictoria Basin forest savanna mosaic Burundi Democratic Republic of the Congo Ethiopia Kenya Rwanda South Sudan Tanzania UgandaWest Sudanian savanna Benin Burkina Faso Gambia Ghana Guinea Mali Ivory Coast Niger Nigeria SenegalWestern Congolian forest savanna mosaic Angola Democratic Republic of the Congo Republic of the CongoWestern Zambezian grasslands Angola ZambiaZambezian and mopane woodlands Botswana Eswatini Malawi Mozambique Namibia South Africa Zambia ZimbabweZambezian Baikiaea woodlands Angola Botswana Namibia Zambia ZimbabweAustralasian tropical and subtropical grasslands savannas and shrublands ecoregionsvteArnhem Land tropical savanna AustraliaBrigalow tropical savanna AustraliaCape York Peninsula tropical savanna AustraliaCarpentaria tropical savanna AustraliaEinasleigh Uplands savanna AustraliaKimberley tropical savanna AustraliaMitchell grass downs AustraliaTrans Fly savanna and grasslands Indonesia Papua New GuineaVictoria Plains tropical savanna AustraliaIndomalayan tropical and subtropical grasslands savannas and shrublands ecoregionsvteTerai Duar savanna and grasslands Bhutan India NepalNearctic tropical and subtropical grasslands savannas and shrublands ecoregionsvteWestern Gulf coastal grasslands Mexico United StatesNeotropical tropical and subtropical grasslands savannas and shrublands ecoregionsvteBeni savanna BoliviaCampos rupestres BrazilCerrado Bolivia Brazil ParaguayClipperton Island shrub and grasslands Clipperton Island is an overseas territory of FranceCordoba montane savanna ArgentinaGuianan savanna Brazil Guyana VenezuelaGran Chaco Argentina Brazil Paraguay BoliviaLlanos Venezuela ColombiaUruguayan savanna Argentina Brazil UruguayOceanian tropical and subtropical grasslands savannas and shrublands ecoregionsvteHawaiian tropical high shrublands HawaiʻiHawaiian tropical low shrublands HawaiʻiNorthwestern Hawaii scrub Hawaiʻi Midway AtollSee also editTropical vegetationReferences edit a b c d nbsp This article incorporates text available under the CC BY SA 3 0 license World Wide Fund for Nature Tropical and Subtropical Grasslands Savannas and Shrubland Ecoregions Archived from the original on 2012 04 25 Retrieved 2019 05 29 Waugh David 2009 Geography an integrated approach 4th ed Cheltenham Nelson Thornes ISBN 978 1 4085 0407 9 OCLC 318672928 McClanahan TR Young TP eds 1996 East African ecosystems and their conservation New York Oxford University Press External links edit nbsp Media related to Tropical and subtropical grasslands savannas and shrublands at Wikimedia Commons Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Tropical and subtropical grasslands savannas and shrublands amp oldid 1171674835, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
