† A PLACE LIKE NO OTHER ¢

SAVANNAWHERE IT’S ALWAYS WARM...

Climate

Savannas have two seasons, the wet season and the dry season. The savanna is warm year-round with an average temperature between 24 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius. There is some seasonal variation depending on if it’s the wet season or the dry season. During the wet season savannas get an average of 30-50 cm. There is little to no precipitation during the dry season.

Bibliography

"Savanna Biome Facts." Savanna Biome Facts. SoftSchools.com, n.d. Web. 17 Apr. 2014. <http://www.softschools.com/facts/biomes/savanna_biome_facts/163/>.

"Savanna Biomes." Savanna Biomes. Blue Planet, n.d. Web. 16 Apr. 2014. <http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/savanna.htm>.

"Savanna Animal Printouts - EnchantedLearning.com." Savanna Animal Printouts - EnchantedLearning.com. EnchantedLearning.com, n.d. Web. 17 Apr. 2014. <http://www.enchantedlearning.com/biomes/savanna/savanna.shtml>.

"Savanna Biome." Savanna Biome: Images. Blogger, n.d. Web. 17 Apr. 2014. <http://savannabiomescienceiscool.blogspot.com/2012/11/images.html>.

"Savanna Plants." The Great Savanna. Weebly, n.d. Web. 22 Apr. 2014. <http://thegreatsavanna.weebly.com/savanna-plants.html>.

EMMA BERRYE/F EVEN

AP BIOLOGY 4TH QUARTER PROJECT

Location

Located in the equatorial and subequatorial regions, savannas are often situated between grasslands and forests. Some locations include, Africa, Madagascar, Australia, South America, India, and the Myanmar-Thailand region of Southeast Asia.

Symbiotic Relationships:Mutualism: A symbiotic relationship between individuals of different species in which both

individuals benefit from the association. Oxpeckers and the Rhinoceros is

an example of mutualism. The oxpecker gets the ticks that are on the rhinoceros as its food.

Oxpeckers warn Rhinos when danger is near.

 Parastism: A form of symbiosis in which one organism (called parasite) benefits at the

expense of another organism of different species (called host). An example of

parasitism is an tick on an elephant. Parasitism is when a parasite takes advantage of its host. In

this situation, a tick is taking blood from an elephant.

Where it’s always warm...

With a rainy season and a dry season and warm weather year round, savannas can give you the best of both worlds. Their sprawling grassy plains are home to some of the world’s most beautiful animals and makes for beautiful views.

Animals and Adaptations:

African Elephant:

The African Elephant is the largest land mammal. It is a very good swimmer helping it

survive during the wet season.

Floral and Fungal Adaptations:

Zebra:

Zebras live in herds and their striped coats make it difficult to pick out a single zebra from

the group.

Cheetah:

Cheetahs adapt to savannas using camouflage and speed to hide and escape predators.

Earth Worm:

Earth worms stay safe from predators by burrowing underground.

Aardvark:

This mammals are nocturnal and are thus able to avoid most predators.

Termite:

Termites know to build their nests in areas that are not too wet, nor too dry, but are well drained, and on slopes of savanna hills.

Bermuda Grass:

This grass can grow in areas with exposure to intense sunlight. This grass has also adapted to

growing in areas with frequent disturbances like grazing and flooding.

Interesting Facts:

• Almost half of Africa is considered a savanna.

• Some animals go so long without water during the dry season that they barely make it alive to the wet season.

• The savanna in Africa is a big tourist attraction but the introduction of vehicles and humans into that environment is very stressful to the plants and animals there.

• The Savanna is home to numerous mammals as well as to hundreds of species of birds.

Manketti Tree:

The Manketti tree prefers hot and dry climates with low amounts of rain. It also prefers to

grow in wooded hills and sand dunes. These are adaptations perfect for savannas.

Umbrella Thorn Acacia:

This tree survives in hot climates and cold climates making it ideal for savannas. It can also

survive with very little water.

River Bushwillow:

This tree’s adaptations include hydrophilic root system, thick bark to resist forest fires and leaf drop during dry periods to conserve energy and

water.

Senegal Gum Acadia:

This tree can survive in extreme climates and has thorns that protect its roots and leaves from

animals.

Elephant Grass:

This grass grows along lakes in places where soil is rich making it perfectly adapted to the

wet season.