African Savannah Research Paper

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Recommended: A term paper on the characteristics of savanna habitat

The African Savannah: A Southern Grassland The African savannah is a tropical grassland which covers over half of Africa. Most of the plant life in the savannah is made up of tall grasses. These grasses are dominant due to the fact that they can survive fires and the long droughts. The plants grow from the bottom rather than the top, granting them the ability to regrow after fires. Elephant grass is one of these grasses. It has deep roots and grows in bunches up to 10 ft. tall. Ancient civilizations used to set fires to kill off the non-native species and strengthen the grasses and native trees. Some of the trees native to the savannah are Acacia and Baobab trees. The baobab trees only produce leaves in the wet season, have big trunks to store water, and are fire resistant. …show more content…

The ants make a home in the tree, and then in turn protect the tree’s leaves. Usually, the giraffes come and eat the lower leaves, making a dome shape out of the trees. The ants and the thorns both protect the leaves from giraffes. A final defense against these fierce herbivores is poison. When the giraffes bite into the leaves, an alkaloid is pumped into the leaves (Which doesn’t harm the animal, simply makes the leaves taste awful) deterring the giraffes after a few bites. After, the Acacia warns the other trees in the area by releasing a chemical into the

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