By: Chris and Brandon
Our Savanna Biome!
The climate that typically is apart of the savanna includes tropical wet climate and dry climates as well. The average temperature are usually at or above 64 degrees F monthly. The annual precipitation in tropical savannas range from 30 to 50 inches. The annual temperature usually averages from 68 degrees F as a low and 86 degrees F as a high. In the dry season, which usually lasts about 5 months, less than 4 inches of rain is recieved. The rest of the precipitation comes from the rainy season.
Tropical savannas are closely related to grassland environments, given their climate that can range from tropical wet to dry. The soils that are found in these environments can vary according to bedrock conditions. In general, the soil-forming process is usually laterilization and low fertility oxisols are usually expected. The dominant plant species that can be found is grass. Trees are also found in tropical savannas, or else they would be classified as prairies. Some animals that can be found in these environments include wildebeest, warthogs, elephants, zebras, rhinos, gazelles, etc. These organisms are mainly dominant in Africa, as this particular biome is common in Africa.
Although human interaction in the tropical savanna hasn't necessarily helped the environment out, there are a few positives you can draw out from this human interaction, although the cons of this certainly outweigh the pros.
Human interaction invites people. People that visit this biome are tourists. Tourists help raise money from their spending to maintain natural sections of Africa. Of course, you would never want to destroy an environment in which thousands of tourists come every year traveling from across the globe.
The majority of human interaction effects negatively, including the fact that increased usage in fossil fuels have highered carbon dioxide levels in the ecosystem, causing C4 plants to become C3. This is bad, because animals have now evolved to consume C4 plants instead of C3. Human urbanization also majorly affects this biome, causing pollution in the ecosystem and a weaker agricultural landscape on these savannas.
The Carbon Cycle
In this case, the cow represents other animals in the biome. As you can see the cycle continues because of the way that all things interact with the carbon and each other. The plant takes the carbon in, then when it dies and decays, it goes into the ground, where later it is put in another grass or plant that an animal eats. After the animal performs cellular respiration the carbon is put back in the air, and a plant can use it again. Another way for the carbon to get in the air, is when a factory, or something that releases emissions, works. This can expel lots of carbon into the air as well.
The Nitrogen Cycle
The nitrogen cycle is an ongoing cycle in the ecosystem, no matter which ecosystem you're in. It starts with nitrogen being contained in decaying matter, while bacteria then fix it to then be used by plants. After plants take in the nitrogen, herbivores and omnivores take it from them by rating it. When animals then die, they decay into matter and waste. From there, the cycle repeats itself. In the tropical savannah, bacteria makes the topsoil more nitrogen-rich, letting the plants grow faster (trees). The animal, or in this case a deer, then comes and eats the plant, letting the deer have the nitrogen. They then die off and turn into waste.
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