Dates:
22 - 27 January 2010
Biome & Climate:
The tropical savanna biome will be studied while visiting Tanzania, which is located in Eastern Africa at 6 ' South, 35 ' East. Temperatures can range from as high as 35°C in the warmer months of December – March, to as low as 16°C in the cooler months of June-October. The tropical savanna has two rainy seasons, one long and one short. The long rains occur from March-May and the short rains occur from November-December. Average rainfall per year is from 40-60 in, but the high coastal areas tend to get more rain than the drier inland areas. There is an average of 7-8 hours of sunlight per day, which supports the vegetation in Tanzania. Grasslands are common, along with a few sparse trees with deep taproots such as the acacia and baobab tree. The vegetation is also supported by the nutrient rich sand that is characteristic of this region. The savanna is home to over 2 million herbivores including the largest diversity of hoofed animals such as wildebeest, antelope, and zebra. Over 500 species of birds also reside in Tanzania. Finally, the savanna is also home to a number of large cats, such as lions and cheetah. Tanzania is also home to Mt. Kilimanjaro (5,895m), which has unique role in the current study of climate change due its changing ice caps.
Ngorongoro crater: The crater is the world’s largest intact caldera, forming a bowl that is 265 sq. km., with sides up to 600 m. deep. The crater has one of the densest concentrations of wildlife in Africa. However, the crater is not a self contained ecological area. Instead, there is movement of both carnivores and herbivores into and out of the caldera. The crater is a part of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and is dependant on the Ngorongoro highlands for water. The crater contains a number of ecological environments including grasslands, swamps, forests, and Lake Makat.
Some Useful Links:
Accomodations:
Issues Affecting This Biome:
Savanna Smog
Sites Visiting:
Elizabeth Arps, Michael Lipkin, and Matthew Young
lipkinms at my.hiram.edu
youngm at my.hiram.edu
Last updated 6 December 2009