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| Tundra | |
| Taiga/boreal forests | |
| Temperate broadleaf and mixed forests | |
| Temperate coniferous forests | |
| Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests | |
| Tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests | |
| Tropical and subtropical coniferous forests | |
| Tropical and subtropical grasslands, savannas, and shrublands | |
| Temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands | |
| Montane grasslands and shrublands | |
| Deserts and xeric shrublands | |
| Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and shrub | |
| Mangrove forests | |
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Aquatic biomes
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| Continental shelf | |
| Littoral/intertidal zone | |
| Riparian | |
| Pond | |
| Coral reef | |
| Kelp forest | |
| Pack ice | |
| Hydrothermal vents | |
| Cold seeps | |
| Benthic zone | |
| Pelagic zone | |
| Neritic zone | |
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Other biomes
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| Endolithic zone | |
Tropical and subtropical grasslands, savannas, and shrublands are a grassland biome located in semi-arid to semi-humid climate regions of subtropical and tropical latitudes. Grasslands are dominated by grass and other herbaceous plants. Savannas are grasslands with scattered trees. Shrublands are dominated by woody or herbaceous shrubs.
Rainfall in tropical and subtropical grasslands, savannas, and shrublands can be highly seasonal, with the entire year's rainfall sometimes occurring within a couple of weeks. Much of the plant life on savannas is adapted to seasonal aridity. Adaptations to the dry climate include herbaceous annuals, which die in the dry season and re-grow from seed each year, and perennial plants which grow long tap roots to reach groundwater, or bulbs to store water.
Tropical and subtropical grasslands, savannas, and shrublands occur on all continents but Antarctica. They are widespread on Africa, and are also found in India, the northern parts of South America and Australia, and the southern United States.
African Savannas occur between forest or woodland regions and grassland regions. The climate varies, with an average temperature of 27°C with peaks of 30°C in April and October, and between 300 and 1500 millimeters of rain per year. Flora includes:
- Acacia (Tree)
- Loses leaves in dry season to conserve moisture
- Leafy canopy in rainy season (flattened by winds)
- Baobab (Tree)
- Stores water in trunk
- Thick bark to protect it from fires in dry season
- Long Tap roots to reach underground moisture
- Few leaves to reduce water loss through transpiration
- Grass
- Grow Quickly to 3 or 4 meters in clumps
- Shoots die in dry season leaving only roots
- Low Shrubs
- Drought resistant
- Small
- Thorns not leaves
Tropical and subtropical grasslands, savannas, and shrublands ecoregions
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Indomalaya Tropical and subtropical grasslands, savannas, and shrublands
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| Terai-Duar savanna and grasslands | Bhutan, India, Nepal |
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Nearctic Tropical and subtropical grasslands, savannas, and shrublands
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| Pre-Columbian savannas of North America (greatly declined) | Canada,United States |
| Eastern savannas of the United States (greatly declined) | United States |
| Western Gulf coastal grasslands | Mexico, United States |
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Neotropic Tropical and subtropical grasslands, savannas, and shrublands
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| Beni savanna | Bolivia |
| Campos Rupestres montane savanna | Brazil |
| Cerrado | Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay |
| Clipperton Island shrub and grasslands | Clipperton Island is an overseas territory of France |
| Córdoba montane savanna | Argentina |
| Guyanan savanna | Brazil, Guyana, Venezuela |
| Gran Chaco | Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay |
| Llanos | Colombia, Venezuela |
| Uruguayan savanna | Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay |
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Oceania Tropical and subtropical grasslands, savannas, and shrublands
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| Hawaii tropical high shrublands | Hawaii |
| Hawaii tropical low shrublands | Hawaii |
| Northwestern Hawaii scrub | Hawaii |
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Wikipedia content modification information:
- This page was last modified on 2 October 2008, at 22:39.
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