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African Grasslands

 

This rain period must then be followed by a long period of drought. If rainfall was constant all year long then these areas would become tropical forests. These savannas are maintained as such by fire. There are also protected park areas in Africa that have a large concentration of elephants. The elephants eat the leaves and twigs which break the branches of trees, smashing the trunk and stripping the bark of the trees. Annual fires then maintain this area (Brown, 1972). .
             The end of the rainy season begins usually in October starting with a series of thunderstorms, followed by strong drying winds. Fires usually begin to occur in January, at the height of the dry season. Oftentimes fires are actually caused by poachers who attempt to clear away the dead grass to make it easier to see their prey. The fires are not devastating to the community, and in fact play a vital role in the community's diversity. The only animals which are killed due to the fire are usually insects. Birds often come to the site of the fires to feast on the grasshoppers, mice, and lizards which are killed or driven out by the fire. Many animals burrow underground for protection, and any remaining larger animals are generally able to move fast enough to avoid the path of the fire. The dry grass only actually burns at the surface; the deep roots remain unharmed (Ricklefs, 2000). Then come rainy season these roots are able to develop new growth above ground. Shrubs are able to do the same thing, with their roots containing enough of a food reserve to wait until the rain comes. Trees are able to survive the fires by keeping moisture in all their above ground parts. Oftentimes trees in the savanna have corky bark which is fire resistant. On the ground's surface is left a layer of powdery black ash. This nutrient rich ash encourages new growth. The annual fire seasons cause very acidic soil conditions. Precipitates from the burning of the biomass include nitric acid and sulfuric acid (the components of acid rain) (Brown, 1972).


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