The Main Features of a Savanna Ecosystem

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The Main Features of a Savanna Ecosystem

For most of the year in this part of Kenya, the climate is very warm

and very dry. However for a short season of three months (April, May

and June), there is abundant rainfall and then a shorter period known

as the 'little rains' (November and December). Both of these periods

of rain follow quite soon after the overhead sun has past right over

the equator. The temperatures throughout the year are generally high,

the cooler part of the year occurs when the sun is overhead in the

opposite hemisphere. Most places in Kenyaare too far inland to be

affected by the sea, so most of the areas with this climate are upland

areas with slightly reduced temperatures due to the high altitudes.

During the dry season the prevailing winds blow from the east allowing

any moisture to be deposited before reaching western parts of the

continents. The rainy season coincides with the sun, when it is

overhead and the dry prevailing winds have reduced. Unfortunately the

length of the rainy season and the amount of rainfall are

unpredictable. While the heavy nature of the rain can do a lot of

damage.

[IMAGE]

A climate graph of Nakuru.

The vegetation of this part of Africa is called Savanna. This mainly

consists of tall grasses, bushes and scattered trees. The Savanna

soils are very good at storing water from the wet seasons, no matter

how hot it gets in the dry season. In the south, where the average

amount of rainfall is higher, there are more trees. Further north

where the dry seasons are longer and the rainfall is less, there are

more grasses than trees. Where the Savanna blends with the tropical

rainforest, there is dense woodland. Moving away from this the

vegetation gradually changes to Savaana grassland with its scattered

trees, then eventually changes again to bushes and grasses and then to

desert.

[IMAGE]

The grasslands provide grazing grounds for many animals. The trees and

bushes are a good food supply for zebra, wildebeest, elephants and

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