Climate of Tropical grassland and Savanna 

Tropical grassland and savanna have both dry and wet climate.

The tempterature range during the winter is about 68˚~78˚F (20˚~25˚C), and very dry.

And the temperature range during the summer is about 78˚~86˚F (25˚~30˚C), and rains alot.

Thus, the annual temperature doesn't really change but falls between 20˚C ~ 30˚C.

Most of the rainy season begins through May ~ October and the annual percipitation of rain is about 10~30 inches (100~150cm).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Habitat 

Savanna and Grassland

"Tropical grassland and savannas." Photo. 11 Jan 2010. <http://biomea.wikispaces.com/file/view/savanna_3.jpg/32980269>

 

Plants: Unbrella Thorn trees

John E. "Typical grassland habit." Photo. 11 Jan 2010. <http://assets.panda.org/img/congo_grassland_23332_235292.jpg>

 

Boabob tree

"Boabob tree found in Tropical savanna of Senegal" Photo. 11 Jan. http://www.geography.hunter.cuny.edu/~tbw/wc.notes/15.climates.veg/notes_chap15.htm&usg=__73vvyy25xHrkKeyCgnv7BuViVys=&h=343&w=598&sz=60&hl=ko&start=99&um=1&tbnid=tTXbXutJ_Gt4SM:&tbnh=77&tbnw=135&prev=/images%>

 

 

These animals are generally found in Savanna

"Savanna Climate." Drawing. 8 May 2008. 11 Jan 2010. <https://room42.wikispaces.com/Savanna+Climate>

 

Giraffe

"Giraffe" Photo. 11 Jan 2010. https://room42.wikispaces.com/Savanna+Climate

 

 

 

 

1. Google Links

"Tropical grassland and savanna in South America Mérida, Venezuela"< Tropical grassland and savannas in Llanos del Orinoco.kmz>

The red part is the tropical grassland and savanna near Venezuela.

 

"Savanna in Kenya, Africa" <Savanna in Kenya.kmz>

The circled part is also tropical grassland and savanna in Kenya, Africa.

And there are more tropical lands and savannas around the world:  

Africa - Kenya, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Botswana, South Africa, and Namibia

Australia

Central America - Belize and Honduras

South America - Venezuela and Columbia

Southern Asia

 

 

 

2. Predators, primary consumors, and producers.

 

i.          Predators in Savana such as,

Lions

"Lions." Photo. 13 Jan 2010.<http://www.wildwonders.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/d7l9622_female_lion_and_cub_website.jpg>

 

and Cheetah

"Cheetah." Photo. 13 Jan 2010. <http://karook.files.wordpress.com/2008/12/cheetah2.jpg>

 

eat primary consumers. 

 

ii.          Primary consumers such as,

Zebras

Amsel, Sheri. "Zebra." Drawing. 13 Jan 2010.<http://www.exploringnature.org/db/detail.php%3FdbID%3D44%26detID%3D570&usg=__lQK5HdKu14o5SUcpKM1WIbhwNCo=&h=335&w=498&sz=45&hl=ko&start=2&um=1&tbnid=Ix89XWJ-tAbJOM:&tbnh=87&tbnw=130&prev=/images>

 

and Wildebeests.

Amsel, Sheri. "Wildebees." Drawing. 13 Jan 2010. <http://www.exploringnature.org/db/detail.php%3FdbID%3D44%26detID%3D570&usg=__lQK5HdKu14o5SUcpKM1WIbhwNCo=&h=335&w=498&sz=45&hl=ko&start=2&um=1&tbnid=Ix89XWJ-tAbJOM:&tbnh=87&tbnw=130&prev=/images> 

 

iii.     Commonly found producer (autotrophs) in Savanna is 

Short grass

"Grassland." Photo. 13 Jan 2010 <http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Experiments/Biome/Images/picgrassland.jpg>

: There are wide range of grasses but mostly dominated by one or two types of grassses. They are about one meter tall and uniform.

 

 

and Acacia tree

"The acacia tree." Photo. 14 Jan 2010. <http://img2.travelblog.org/Photos/14120/96703/t/628890-Elephants-grazing-under-an-Acacia-tree-0.jpg>

: Not only Acacia tree but other trees such as Boabob trees, and Manketti trees are scattered along the river sides.

 

 

 

3. Human activity in Tropical Savanna

 

In many parts of Savannas and grassland around the world people have started using it to graze their cattle and goats. 

For example, Masai trives live Savanna in East Aftrica. Since there are plenty of grasses and producers, the Masai people practise nomadic cattle herding.

They usually move place to place within Savanna to find places with more moisture.

"Human Activities in Savanna." Photo. 14 Jan 2010. <http://library.thinkquest.org/26634/grass/Savanna/activities.htm>

 

Another example in cattle farming in Austrailia.

These cattles also search around the grassland looking for better qualities of soils and shortgrasses.

"Human Activities in Savanna." Photo. 14 Jan 2010. <http://library.thinkquest.org/26634/grass/Savanna/activities.htm>

 

Also since there are varieties of birds, mammales, and reptiles anciet people have used them either for sport, fur, and illegal poaching by modern people.

 

 

 

 

 

3.  Characteristics of cultures associated traditionally or characteristically with Tropical grassland and Savanna.

 

The nomadic tribe that is living in these tropical grassland areas is known as the Masai or Morani tribe. The Masai people generally live in Kenya and Tanzania and

continually move their homes from time to time following their cattle.

What I mean by following their cattle is, the tribe stay in Savanna during the summer when there are aboundant food and moisture.

But during the winter, on the other hand, they migrate to other place looking for more food and water for their cattle.

Recently, however, there are some problems occuring; since the cattle is the livelihood for these native tribes, they have to protect their source of life from other predators such as lions, cheetah, or leopard. Moreover, because of the global warming and unusual climate cattles are having difficulties in founding of their food and abundant grass.

 

Masai's entire life revolves around the care of their animals because they get their food from the cattle. For example, they drink cow's milk and blood as a sacred drink, use the cows' compost (or poop) to seal their homes, horns are used for containers, and skins are used to make shoes and other clothing, and hooves and bones are made into ornaments.

 

The Masai tribe have interesting cultures, such as religion and worriors.

They believe in Masai God called Enkai. Enkai is believed to manifest in many forms, including in mountains, colors and the moon. And there is a religious leader called Laibon: they are believed to descend from Enkai ,thus, have religious authority, power to heal, and to give prophesies.

Another part of the Masai culture is the role of the warrior. This is a period when all men go through in order to become elders and have rights to be a head of the family. A Masai warrior is responsible for protecting the herds of cattle, as well as the villages themselves.

 

 

 

4. Human Dominance  

          There are total 4.8 (10^6 km^2) total tropical grasslands and savannas areas in the world: Africa, Australia, Central America, South America, Southern Asia. Out of that, the human dominated 4.7% of tropical savannas, but still 74.0 % areas are remained undisturbed. (Text)

          The uniqueness about tropical grassland and savanna's climate is that it rains only during the summer time (April~October) and rest of the months are droughty. Thus, sometimes entire year's rainfall occurs just within a couple of weeks over rainy season; approximately 300 and 1500 millimeters (20 to 60 inches) of rain comes per year, therefore, and can be highly seasonal. The climate varies, with an average temperature of 27°C with peaks of 30°C in April and October. The average temperature, however, is 29°C and average moisture deficit is 30 mm. (Text)

          Since the plants and water are plenty during the summer, primary consumers such as gazelle, zebra, wildbeast, and elephant wonder around the grassland eating short grass, low shurbs, acacia tree, and boabob tree.

Along with abundant primary consumers, there are also plenty of secondary consumers; predators of primary consumers such as lion, leopard, and cheetah hunt down their prey.

During the winter, on the other hand, when its drought there are less grass, thus, less food for primary consumers. Therefore, these animals move to other places looking for their food but not only primary consumers move, but also their predators naturally move along with them. Thus, the precipitation is very important in tropical savanna because it determines suitable biome for those ecologies.

          Due to animals' nomadic lives, people also have nomadic calture. The presentative tribe is known as Masai tribe; they herd cattles in tropical biome, thus, started to use cattle for their livelihood.

 

 

 

  <Works Cited>

"Grassland Biomes." World Biomes. World Biomes. Com, 30 Oct 2009. Web. 14 Jan 2010. <http://www.worldbiomes.com/biomes_grassland.htm>.  

 

"Human Activities in Savana." Gassland. ThinkQuest team 26634, 1999. Web. 14 Jan 2010. <http://library.thinkquest.org/26634/grass/Savanna/activities.htm>.

 

"Masai Culture - Indroduction." Kenya Advisor.Com. The Independent Kenya Travel Guide, 2007. Web. 17 Jan 2010. <http://www.kenya-advisor.com/masai-culture.html>.

 

"The Masai: Maintaining Culture." Social Studies for Kids. Web. 17 Jan 2010. <http://www.socialstudiesforkids.com/articles/cultures/masai.htm>.

 

"Tropical and subtropical grasslands, savannas, and shrublands." Wikipedia, 27 Oct 2009. Web. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tropical_and_subtropical_grasslands,_savannas,_and_shrublands>