Tropical+Grassland+Abiotic+Factors

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Climate:
The climate of the tropical grassland is generally very dry, although it does receive a season of rain. The temperatures are hot year-round and never drop below 64 degrees Fahrenheit. The temperature range is 68 degrees Fahrenheit to 86 degrees Fahrenheit. (F1) Average rainfall in from 10-30 inches per year. Rain is concentrated to six or eight months of the year, December to February rarely sees any rainfall. (F2)

(F3)

This graph shows the average monthly temperature and moisture deficit in the savanna. The temperature, in Celsius, remains relatively constant between 20 degrees Celsius and 35 degrees Celsius. The average moisture deficit was next to none between the months of November to April during the dry season, and spiked between the months of May to October during the rainy season.

Sunlight:
The average sunlight is approximately 10.95 hours per day. The sunlight also reaches the ground, allowing small grasses and shrubs to grow. (F4)

(F5) As seen in this picture, there is no tree canopy. The sunlight provides plants with the ability to perform photosynthesis while growing close to the ground.

Water Conditions:
Since there are only a few months with rainfall, the savannas are often in drought periods and lack water (F1). They experience recurrent episodes of drought lasting 4-8 months out of the year, where plants try to cut back on their water usage. (F6)

Seasonal Variations:
Seasonal fires play a vital role in the biodiversity. The are most prevalent in January, the height of the dry season. Most of the animals killed by the fires are insects. The other animals,such as birds, benefit by eating the insects. The grass stems are destroyed by the fire, however the deep roots remaining unharmed. (F7)

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