Question

How have plants and animals adapted to the Savanna ecosystem?

Answer 1

An ecosystem is a geographic area that involves the interaction of various abiotic and biotic components- to form a stable community.

Complete answer:
A geographic area where the living or biotic components like- plants, animals, and other organisms interact with the abiotic or non-living components like- weather, climate, landscape, water, temperature to form a stable community or a bubble of life is called an ecosystem. All these components are connected through nutrient cycles and the flow of energy. They form an important part of the biome.
Ecosystems can be classified into- Natural and Artificial ecosystem. The natural ecosystem can be further classified into- terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. The aquatic ecosystem can be further classified into- freshwater and marine ecosystems. The terrestrial ecosystem is classified into various types based on their surrounding environment and climate.

The Savanna ecosystem is found in places like- Africa, South America, Australia, India, the Myanmar region in Asia, and Madagascar. This ecosystem belongs to a tropical grassland category of the terrestrial ecosystem. It is characterized by the presence of- grassland vegetation with trees and shrubs that are spaced out and widely spread. Due to this reason, the canopy of Savanna is open. They have a high density of plants, and the trees are generally few and very tall.

The Savanna grassland has a semi-arid climate with two distinct seasons- the wet season and dry season. The wet season experiences heavy rainfall. The climate in grasslands stays warm and dry throughout the year. The plants and animals are adapted to survive in low-water conditions. The soil does not provide sufficient tree growth.

These grasslands are very important ecologically and economically and are often exploited for agricultural purposes.

Various adaptations in the plants and animals of the savanna ecosystem are-

1)The plants have deep and widespread roots that allow them to absorb water from large areas and survive the dry season.
2)The plants have long, narrow leaves to decrease the amount of water loss through transpiration.
3)In few trees, the trunk is modified to act as a water-storage organ.
4)The plants are often deciduous to avoid the loss of water and moisture.
5)The plants are specialized to have underground storage of starches.
6)The plants have specialized structures called thorns and scale leaves, which help them to prevent themselves from the herbivores. They also grow very tall to avoid being consumed by animals.
7)The animals have developed high stamina that helps them to save energy and function only when it is necessary.
8)Various animals have specialized structures that help them to cope up with dry conditions and heat. They have an increased surface area. Often, they take alternative pathways (use of mud) to keep them cool.
9)Various animals cope up with the dry day conditions by simply avoiding them by hibernating. They sleep during the entire day and perform functions during the night when the conditions are cool.
10)Many animals have developed fast running to protect themselves from predators. They even camouflage with the surrounding to avoid being hunted.
11)Many animals have adapted their body to run and survive in low water conditions and moisture.
12)A few animals migrate to other humid areas to avoid the dry season.

Note: The vegetation of Savanna mostly contains grasses and has very few trees. The animals found here are mostly herbivores and extensively use the abundant food supply. It is filled with herbivore animals like- elephants, zebras, buffalo, gazelles, rhinoceros, etc.