Plants in the environment
Acacia Tree
The Acacia tree is one of the many native plants to the grasslands of Africa. Acacia trees are large trees that grow best in warmer climates. They can grow in almost any type of soil as long as they have adequate sunlight. Their eaves are bright and are divided giving them a similar appearance to a fern. They bloom either yellow or white flowers during the period between the wet and dry seasons. Acacia trees provide food, gum, and fuel to be used for medical uses or farming. Acacia trees are very good at returning nutrients back into the soil sharing them with other organisms in the environment.
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Manketti Nut Tree The Manketti tree is a very large tree that prefers a dry warm climate. The roots of the Manketti tree go down into the earth until they reach water. The water can be stored in its long trunk for even dryer seasons. The Manketti tree can grow fruits or nuts that are very important to farmers of Africa, The nuts can be harvested and turned in to oil. The fruits while growing is a yellow colour but as it grows and ripens it becomes a more reddish brown before it falls to the ground. These fruits and nuts are a great food source for not only the animals in the environment, but many rural communities as well.
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River BushwillowThe River Bushwillow is part of the rolling grasslands of Africa. Like many of the trees in Africa's grasslands the Bushwillow's branches are very twisted at abnormal angles Delete repeated word. The base of the tree has two different glands contraining large cavities. Like many trees in dry climates the Bushwillow can absorb and store water in its trunk. It drops it leaves to preserve water in the dry seasons. In the seasons that it has leaves giraffes often search for them. Even though it thrives best in dry warm climates it can still survive the winter season quite well, because of this the Bushwillow is not endangered at all and continues to spread. The wood of the Bushwillow is very strong and is often used for wooden utensils and for medical purposes. The roots can actually be used as a medicine to remove worms.
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Invasive Species
In the African grasslands there a few invasive species that have really made a difference on the environment. Different plants like para grass, gamba grass, and olive hymenaches have really changed the environment. These plants in particular have really affected the biodiversity and conditions.
Gamba GrassGamba grass was originally planted to be used as food for cattle but quickly spread through the environment. By overpowering native plants it has decreased the biodiversity of the environment. It can also cause a lot of damage to the environment during dry season as it is very flammable.
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Para Grass
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Olive hymenachne
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Adaptations
Water Storage
The African grasslands have a very dry climate and the organisms in the environment have adapted in order to survive. Many trees in the area have adapted to be able to store water inside their trunk. The roots are able to absorb water and transfer it back up to the tree. The water in the trunk is used when the weather becomes exceedingly dry or hot and the tree has no other access to water. Trees like the Manketti tree, the river Bushwillow, and the baobab are all able to store water. With this adaptations trees are able to live in the harsh dry heat without drying up.
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Dropping LeavesIf you look at a lot of the trees in the African grassland you will notice that there are trees that trees lose their leaves not during the colder seasons but in the hotter dryer seasons instead. They don't lose their leaves do to lack of sunlight but to preserve water during the dry seasons. There are other trees that keep their leaves but have a harder time staying alive during the harsh dry periods. By saving the extra water the trees are able to survive in extreme heat and lack of water.
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Grass Growth PatternsMost plants in this environment are well adapted to live in a hot dry climate. Fires are just a part of a dry environment. Just the small fires can spread so quickly in dry grass. Different types of plants and grass have adapted grow quickly as soon as they get the right amount of water. Allowing the plant to become larger and stronger very quickly. This also helps the plant replenish nutrients in the soil creating a nutrient storage in the soil for times without a lot of sun or rain. Many invasive species do not have this adaptation yet and this is one of the reasons there are still a lot of fires. The plants with this adaptation are more capable to survive periodic fires and droughts .
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Species at Risk:
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Pyramid of Energy
A pyramid of energy is a visual representation of how energy flows through different ecosystems. In this energy pyramid Rhode grass is at the bottom because it is the producer that gets its energy through photosynthesis. The Gazelle then eats the Rhode grass gaining it's energy. The lion gets the energy from the Gazelle by catching and eating the Gazelle. The Hyena wouldn't be able to catch and kill the lion but, it is an opportunists and if it were to find the lion dead it would eat it, then getting the energy from the lion. Every time the energy is passed to another organism, the amount of energy decreases.