Vegetation Smore
By: Matt Blaisdell & Sean Brodeur
Tropical Grassland
Rainfall in tropical and subtropical grasslands, savannas, and shrublands is between 500 and 1300 millimeters (20 to 50 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:
-Acacia (Tree)
Loses leaves in dry season to conserve moisture
Leafy canopy in rainy season (flattened by winds)
-Baobab (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
-Grass
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