THE SAVANNA BIOME

THE TROPICAL SAVANNA BIOME

GRASSLANDS

What is Savanna?

Savanna is grassland with scattered individual trees. Savannas of one sort or another cover almost half the surface of Africa (about five million square miles, generally central Africa) and large areas of Australia, South America, and India.

What is a Savanna?

Savannas are a transitional biome, not really a forest and not really a desert – just somewhere in between. This habitat is home to many different species of plants and animals around the world, and in Africa, it is home to the largest land mammal in the world – the African elephant

Multiple Choice

The trees in a Savanna are usually.....

• Densely located

• Scattered

• Layered

• Tall and thin

Multiple Choice

The largest Savanna grassland is found in....

• Australia

• Brazil

• Africa

• North America

Multiple Choice

Savannas are transitional biomes, meaning...

• They move from one place to another

• They can relocate their vegetation

• They are located between the rainforest and desert biomes

• They have animals that can change

THE SAVANNA BIOME

CHARACTERISTICS

CLIMATE-temperature

Climate is the most important factor in creating a savanna. Savannas are always found in warm or hot climates.

Savanna has both a dry and a rainy season. It rarely falls below 60° F (15°C), even during the season defined as “winter” in the northern hemisphere. Most of the year, it can get up between 80 and 100°F (27 to 37°C). This is the dry season.

CLIMATE

• It is crucial that the rainfall is concentrated in six or eight months of the year, followed by a long period of drought when fires can occur.

CLIMATE

However, the wet season gets lots of rain. During this period, which lasts about six months, a savanna can get anywhere from 20-50 inches (500 - 1200  mm) of rain. This allows the grasses to grow thick and lush, creating a habitat where many different animals and birds can live.

Multiple Choice

There is a distinct wet and dry season in Tropical Savannas.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

Temperatures in the Savanna average between...

• 27-37 Degrees Celsius

• 10-20 Degrees Celsius

• 40-50 Degrees Celsius

• 5-15 Degrees Celsius

Multiple Choice

The average rainfall received in the Savanna falls between...

• 20-70 inches

• 20-50 inches

• 20-40 inches

• 20-30 inches

VEGETATION

Dominant flora in the savanna biome include the Jackal berry tree, Bermuda grasses, Lemongrass, acacia trees, and baobab trees.

ANIMALS

Dominant fauna include the kangaroo, elephant, ostriches, baboons, crocodiles, rhinos, zebras, lions, cheetahs, and leopards. 

Prey often conceal themselves by camouflaging and hiding from animals higher up on the food chain.  

Multiple Choice

The ...................tree has huge trunks to store water

• Acacia

• Jackalberry

• Baobab

• Periwinkle

Multiple Choice

The animals in the Savanna ................. to find food and water

• Fight

• Migrate

• Separate

• Attack humans