Tropical and subtropical grasslands, savannas, and shrublands
Encyclopedia
Tropical and subtropical grasslands, savannas, and shrublands are a grassland
terrestrial biome
located in semi-arid
to semi-humid climate
regions of subtropical and tropical latitudes. Grassland
s are dominated by grass
and other herb
aceous plants. Savanna
s are grasslands with scattered tree
s. Shrubland
s are dominated by woody or herbaceous shrub
s.
Rainfall in tropical and subtropical grasslands, savannas, and shrublands is between 450 and 6900 millimeters (18 to 60 inches) a year, and can be highly seasonal, with the entire year's rainfall sometimes occurring within a couple of weeks.
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
, the northern parts of South America
and Australia
, and the southern United States
.
African Savannas occur between forest or woodland regions and grassland regions. The climate varies, with an average temperature of 27 °C with peaks of 30 °C in April and October, and between 300 and 1500 millimetres of rain per year. Flora includes:
Grassland
Grasslands are areas where the vegetation is dominated by grasses and other herbaceous plants . However, sedge and rush families can also be found. Grasslands occur naturally on all continents except Antarctica...
terrestrial biome
Biome
Biomes are climatically and geographically defined as similar climatic conditions on the Earth, such as communities of plants, animals, and soil organisms, and are often referred to as ecosystems. Some parts of the earth have more or less the same kind of abiotic and biotic factors spread over a...
located in semi-arid
Semi-arid
A semi-arid climate or steppe climate describes climatic regions that receive precipitation below potential evapotranspiration, but not extremely...
to semi-humid climate
Climate
Climate encompasses the statistics of temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, wind, rainfall, atmospheric particle count and other meteorological elemental measurements in a given region over long periods...
regions of subtropical and tropical latitudes. Grassland
Grassland
Grasslands are areas where the vegetation is dominated by grasses and other herbaceous plants . However, sedge and rush families can also be found. Grasslands occur naturally on all continents except Antarctica...
s are dominated by grass
Grass
Grasses, or more technically graminoids, are monocotyledonous, usually herbaceous plants with narrow leaves growing from the base. They include the "true grasses", of the Poaceae family, as well as the sedges and the rushes . The true grasses include cereals, bamboo and the grasses of lawns ...
and other herb
Herb
Except in botanical usage, an herb is "any plant with leaves, seeds, or flowers used for flavoring, food, medicine, or perfume" or "a part of such a plant as used in cooking"...
aceous plants. Savanna
Savanna
A savanna, or savannah, is a grassland ecosystem characterized by the trees being sufficiently small or widely spaced so that the canopy does not close. The open canopy allows sufficient light to reach the ground to support an unbroken herbaceous layer consisting primarily of C4 grasses.Some...
s are grasslands with scattered tree
Tree
A tree is a perennial woody plant. It is most often defined as a woody plant that has many secondary branches supported clear of the ground on a single main stem or trunk with clear apical dominance. A minimum height specification at maturity is cited by some authors, varying from 3 m to...
s. Shrubland
Shrubland
Shrubland, scrubland, scrub or brush is a plant community characterized by vegetation dominated by shrubs, often also including grasses, herbs, and geophytes. Shrubland may either occur naturally or be the result of human activity...
s are dominated by woody or herbaceous shrub
Shrub
A shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...
s.
Rainfall in tropical and subtropical grasslands, savannas, and shrublands is between 450 and 6900 millimeters (18 to 60 inches) a year, and can be highly seasonal, with the entire year's rainfall sometimes occurring within a couple of weeks.
Tropical and subtropical grasslands, savannas, and shrublands occur on all continents but Antarctica. They are widespread in Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, and are also found all throughout South Asia
South Asia
South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
, the northern parts of South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, and the southern United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
African Savannas occur between forest or woodland regions and grassland regions. The climate varies, with an average temperature of 27 °C with peaks of 30 °C in April and October, and between 300 and 1500 millimetres of rain per year. Flora includes:
- AcaciaAcaciaAcacia is a genus of shrubs and trees belonging to the subfamily Mimosoideae of the family Fabaceae, first described in Africa by the Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus in 1773. Many non-Australian species tend to be thorny, whereas the majority of Australian acacias are not...
(Tree)- Loses leaves in dry season to conserve moisture
- Leafy canopy in rainy season (flattened by winds)
- BaobabBaobabAdansonia is a genus of eight species of tree, six native to Madagascar, one native to mainland Africa and the Arabian Peninsula and one to Australia. The mainland African species also occurs on Madagascar, but it is not a native of that island....
(Tree)- Stores water in trunk
- Thick bark to protect it from fires in dry season
- Long tap roots to reach underground moisture
- Few leaves to reduce water loss through transpiration
- GrassGrassGrasses, or more technically graminoids, are monocotyledonous, usually herbaceous plants with narrow leaves growing from the base. They include the "true grasses", of the Poaceae family, as well as the sedges and the rushes . The true grasses include cereals, bamboo and the grasses of lawns ...
- Grow quickly to 3 or 4 meters in clumps
- Shoots die in dry season leaving only roots
- Low shrubs
- Drought resistant
- Small
- Thorns not leaves