Tropical Grasslands Allie H Allie V
Location Mainly between 5 and 15 degrees North and South
Climate Dry and Rainy Seasons Rainfall 6-8 months followed by drought Average Temperature 25C Temps. Usually don’t vary more than 20 degrees Annual rainfall is 50.8-127 cm per year
Fires Fire is the main determinate of the Biome Fires play major role in the biodiversity Fires are seasonal only occurring in the dry season Fires clear the land needed for animals to hunt and travel
Plants Acacia Senegal Baobab Bermuda Grass Candelabra Tree Elephant Grass Gum Tree Eucalyptus Whistling Thorn Jackalberry Tree Jarrah tree Kangaroo Paw Manketti Tree River Bushwillow Umbrella Thorn Acacia
Animals Kangaroo Elephants Koala Blackbucks Rabbit Cheetahs Wildebeests Gazelles Zebras Giraffes Antelopes Elephants Blackbucks Cheetahs Lions Hyenas Vultures Rhinoceros Hawks
Why These Species? Herbivores have evolved eating habits that minimize competition between species Giraffes eat leaves and shoots from top of trees Elephants eat leaves and branches further down Gazelles and wildebeests eat short grass Zebras eat long grass and stems Cheetahs, Lions, Hyenas and Hawks kill the smaller species
Zebras, Giraffes, Elephant, Antelope, Koala, Kangaroo, Gazelle Biomass Pyramid Decomposers Vultures and Hawks Carnivores Lions, Cheetahs, Hyenas Herbivores Zebras, Giraffes, Elephant, Antelope, Koala, Kangaroo, Gazelle Plants and Grasses
References Thomas, Robert, and Margaret Orr. "The Grassland Biome." University of California Museum of Paleontology. 1999. Oct. 2008 <http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/exhibits/biomes/grasslands.php>. "Tropical Savannas." Www.runet.edu. Oct. 1996. Radford University. Oct. 2008 <http://www.runet.edu/~swoodwar/classes/geog235/biomes/savanna/savanna.html>. "Ecosystems." Canary Zoo. Oct. 2008 <http://www.canaryzoo.com/geography%20ecosystems.htm>. "Tropical Grasslands Animals." Wikipedia. Oct. 2008 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/tropical_grasslands>. Miller, G. Tyler. Living in the Environment. Belmont: Brooks/Cole, 2001.