Theory question 207
VegetationWrite a geographical account of Tropical Grasslands under the following headings: (a) Location; (b) Climatic factors affecting the distribution; (c) Vegetation characteristics
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(a) Between the equatorial forests and the hot deserts, roughly 5°-20° N and S: savanna of West Africa (Sudan, Guinea belts), East and Central Africa, the llanos of Venezuela, campos of Brazil, northern Australia.
(b) Seasonal rainfall with a long dry season; total rainfall 500-1,500 mm decreasing away from the equator; high temperatures all year with a moderate range; dry continental winds (harmattan) in the dry season; low humidity and high evaporation; bush fires in the dry season.
(c) Tall grasses (1-3 m, elephant grass) becoming shorter towards the desert; scattered deciduous trees (baobab, acacia, shea) that shed leaves in the dry season; trees with long roots, thick bark and small leaves; grasses dry up and turn brown in the dry season and grow quickly with rain; gallery forests along rivers; umbrella-shaped trees.
Cover location with latitudes and named regions.