Andy Teahan

Tropical Savanna

Climate: It has a wet and dry climate, with about 30 to 50 inches of rain a year. There is a wet season and a dry season, while life flourishes during the wet season, the dry season lasts about 5 months and during the dry season there is an average rainfall of only about 4 inches a month.

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5 animal adaptations:

In order to reduce competition over food, animals have developed unique ways to feed in order to coexist. Over time different species have developed different adaptations that allow them to specialize and feed on a specific type of food. Giraffe’s have developed very long necks so that they can reach food that other animals can’t reach. Elephants also use their trunks to eat leaves and branches further down. Gazelle’s and Wildebeests eat short grasses and Zebras mainly eat tall grasses and stems.

5 plant adaptations:

1-plants often shed their leaves during the dry season to conserve water. Example: The Baobab tree-It is a savanna tree that can be found throughout central Africa and India. The tree is leafless for about 9 months a year, it does this because having leaves uses a lot of the plant’s energy and during the dry season, remaining leafless helps the plant store water and energy. The trunk of the Baobab tree stores all the water it can hold during the wet season and saves it for the dry season.

2-Some plants produce poisonous sap which prevents animals from eating them-Example: Candelabra tree- it is another savanna tree. It is unique because all the branches grow from the trunk. The tops of the tree resemble cacti. The tree stores the water it collects in the wet season in its white sap, the sap is poisonous so it prevents other animals from eating the sap and stealing the tree’s water supply.

3-Some plants have formed symbiotic relationships with animals. Example: The Jackle berry tree- The roots of the tree live in heavy soils, and they benefit from termites because termites aerate the soil and provide the tree with a source of moisture, while the roots of the Jackle berry tree provide shelter for the termites.

4-Plants have adapted to having long roots that allow them to reach water that is being stored deep underground. Other adaptations include flame resistant bark. Example: River bushwillow-adaptations include a hydrophilic root system, which reach water that is deep underground, thick bark that resists forest fires, and leaf drop during dry periods to conserve water and energy.

5-Some plants have adapted to living with very very little water, and a wide range of temperatures that are present in the different seasons. Example: The Umbrella thorn acacia-is one of the hardiest plant species because it can survive on rainfall of as little as 4 cm a year. It also has adapted to the savanna winters where temperatures can reach below 0 degrees celsius at night.

Symbiotic relationships
1)The Oxpecker and the Rhinoceros-The Oxpecker eats the parasites off of the Rhino, which provides the bird with food, and the Rhino with parasite free skin
2) The Jackle berry tree and the Termites- The termites Aerate the soil and the tree's roots provide the termites with protection from predators.
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