east african acacia savannas - science...

East African

Acacia Savannas

By: Kendell Landers, Brycen

Kreie,Liam Berry

Acacia Savannah characteristics

●Contains tropical and desert spots

●Not enough rain to support forests

●Located on either side of equator

●On edges of tropical rainforests

●It is important because of it’s abundance of

life

Ecoregions

Distinct grasslands

There are large mountains ranges

shrub lands

thickets

Food Web

h

Grass

Harvester

ant

Horned

lizard

Red oat

grass

Gazelle

African hawk

eagleAfrican

lion

Hiena

Ecological Issue

Description

•It is found in eastern africa

•Distinct grasslands and savannah large

drought

• Great numbers of migrating animals

•Is the only region where the grey chested

spurfowl lives

•Large no hunting areas

Desertification

•Causing livestock and humans to relocate

•Trees shrubs etc. are vanishing from this

biome.

•Due to other organisms disappearing they to

must leave

Desertification factors

some underlying factors are that

drought

lack of forest

and the planting of inappropriate agricultural

Combating desertification

•Plant proper crops

•Plant trees and other life

•In windy regions use tree fences to help

plants survive and row

•use water efficiently

Other issues

•Lack of biodiversity plant wise

•Drought

•Poaching

Scientific

name Diceros

bicornis

Endangered Keystone Species

Black RhinocerosCommon name

Black

rhinoceros

The Black RhinocerosAbout 1.6m tall

Two horns only

Smaller than white rhinos

Have hooked lips for eating

No color difference than the white rhino

Its Role

The Black rhino helps shape the landscape

The Black rhino eats lots of grass and bushes

a day

Sadly it gets eaten by large wild cats

It places as a primary consumer

The Savannas wouldn’t look the way they do

now

Endangered status

Mainly poaching is making this animal go

extinct

Population

The size of the population: about 5,000

(1993)

Life span is from 40-50 years

reproduction rate:1 calve every 2.5-3.5 years

how this affects the population

What is being done

WWF is expanding existing protected areas

and improving their management

Establishing new protected areas

Improving security

Invasive Species

Bigheaded Ant

Introduction to Bigheaded Ant

Scientific name- Pheidole megacephala

(Fabricius)

Red and brown

Larger sized head

Mainly nest in rotting stumps.

2 antennas

6 legs

Food Web Positioning

Primary consumer

Eats sugary substances (Both habitats)

Also eats smaller insects (African Savannah)

Spiders eat the ant (Both habitats)

Anteaters (Native habitats)

Flies (Both habitats

Problem

The big headed ant can cause damage by

destroying structures and causing debris.

Plant mutualism with the Big-headed ant,

increases elephant damage to savannah

trees.

The ant hides in the tree while the elephant

breaks down the tree to get them.

Transportation of the ant

bibliography

Website Title: Bigheaded ant - Pheidole megacephala (Fabricius)

Article Title: Bigheaded ant - Pheidole megacephala (Fabricius)

Date Accessed: September 16, 2015

http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/urban/ants/bigheaded_ant.htm

bibliography

Website Title: WorldWildlife.org

Article Title: Sahelian Acacia savanna

Publisher: World Wildlife Fund

Date Accessed: August 25, 2015

http://www.worldwildlife.org/ecoregions/at0

713Website Title: Biome: Savanna

Article Title: Importance of Preservation

Date Accessed: August 25, 2015

http://thebiomesavanna.weebly.com/importa

nce-of-preservation.html

bibliography

http://environmental-issues-articles.blogspot.com/2012/12/the-african-savannah-biome.html

• title.environmental issues

•date accesed 9-9-15

http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/savanna.htm

Website Title: Savanna Biomes Article Title: Savanna Biomes

Date Accessed: September 16, 2015

Website Title: WWF - Article Title: East African Acacia Savannas

Date Accessed: September 16, 2015

Website Title: WWF - Article Title: Horn of Africa Acacia Savannas

Date Accessed: September 16, 2015