Major Grasslands of Africa

Grassland is a habitat for both live things and natural vegetation. It is a tropical grassland with high summer seasonal rains and warm temperatures all year long. A feature of African grasslands is their presence of grasses and sparsely spaced, small trees that do not form a closed canopy and permit sunlight to reach the ground. Grasslands have various names that reflect their characteristics. The grasslands are known by numerous names depending on where you are.

Savannas are the name for grasslands in Africa. The term "veld" refers to many types of open ground utilized for farming and pasturage in Southern Africa.

Features of Major Grasslands of Africa

There are mainly two types of grasslands one is Savana, which is a common name for grassland in Africa and another one is Veld, this name is famous in southern part of Africa. Here are the descriptions about features of these two grasslands and sub grasslands inside them.

Savana

Much of Africa, from the Sahara to the Cape, is covered with savanna grassland. Only in the west does it give way to the Namib Desert, the West African coast, and the lush tropical forest of the Zaire River basin. The grassland is not a uniform territory; it varies from dry steppe and sub-desert in the north and southwest (on the periphery of the Kalahari and Sahara deserts), via thorn scrub, to open savanna forest in the equatorial region. Waterways and granite hills cut through the landscape, and farming has significantly changed most of the southern region.

Despite having a dense canopy of trees, savannas remain open. Savannas are frequently thought to have sparse, widely spaced trees. However, compared to forests, many savannas have higher tree densities and more evenly spaced trees. Savannas are associated with many different types of biomes and are frequently in a transitional zone between forest and desert or grassland, though they are primarily a transition between desert to forest. They are also characterized by seasonal water availability, with the majority of rainfall occurring only during one season.

Veld

The interior Highveld, a plateau created by the Great Escarpment ridge in South Africa and containing mountain grasslands, subtropical grasslands, and mid-altitude bushlands, is the focal point of the Southeast African bioregion, which is located in the Afrotropical zone. With a combined area of more than 63 million hectares, the bioregion is made up of five distinct ecoregions. Although fractured, it still has the largest remaining area of grassland in southern Africa and is home to a variety of birds and mammals, including mountain zebras, honey badgers, and pangolins. The descriptions of these grasslands, also referred to as veld, are provided below.

Central Bushveld

The Highveld Grassland, a cold, high-elevation grassland that ranges in altitude from 1,500 to 2,000 m, forms its distinct southern limit of Central Bushveld. The craggy Waterberg Mountains, which climb up from the vast undulating plateau to between 1,200 and 1,500m, are the region's most recognizable topographical feature.

Tropical and seasonal, with warm, rainy summers and chilly, dry winters. The annual average rainfall ranges from 350 mm to 750 mm, with the Waterberg Mountains having a somewhat higher average (650 mm to 900 mm). The highveld plateau creates a ridge that runs from the east to the west and south to north, offering protection from cooler air masses. As a result, the bushveld has higher temperatures than the higher highveld, which range from -3°C to 40°C.

Limpopo Lowveld

One of the most important refuges in the world for southern white and south-central black rhinos is the Limpopo Lowveld ecoregion. The ecoregion is a low-lying region that stretches from just south of Swaziland up to the border between Mozambique and South Africa, with the eastern Mozambique coastal plain and the western foot slopes of the Drakensberg Great Escarpment. The ecoregion primarily falls within the tropical summer-rainfall zone. Summertime, from October to May (the wet season), sees most of the region's precipitation, which has an average annual rainfall of about 630 mm and is mainly concentrated during convective thunderstorms. 22°C is the average annual temperature.

Highveld Grasslands

The high interior plateau of South Africa known as the Highveld is where the Highland grasslands get their name. The ecoregion has primarily transitioned to agriculture from once being covered by species-rich grassland ecosystems. With elevations ranging from 1,400 m to 1,800 m above sea level, the Highveld is quite flat.

The grassland community has historically played a significant part in the natural water purification of the westward running rivers that originate on the Drakensberg Escarpment. The area is traversed by several meandering rivers. The construction of water transfer projects to supply the greater Johannesburg area with water has interfered with this ecosystem's natural processes in several places. The summer months see relatively substantial rainfall, with the mean annual rainfall averaging between 400 and 900 mm.

Drakensberg Grasslands

The Drakensberg Grasslands ecoregion is the final remaining habitat for lammergeiers, or bearded vultures, in southern Africa. These magnificent raptors frequently nest in crevices on sizable cliffs that are higher than 1,850 meters. Distribution, density, and territorial occupancy of the population have all decreased during the last few decades. Their low population numbers could be explained by inadvertent poisoning from eating the carcasses of animals, like lions, that humans poisoned in punishment for livestock theft. The Kwazulu-Natal province, predominantly in southeast South Africa, is where you may find the ecoregion. This ecoregion's height ranges from 150 m to 3,482 m, which is South Africa's highest point.

Drakensberg Escarpment Savanna and Thicket

One of the few remaining regions in Africa with an extraordinarily high cycad diversity is the Drakensberg Escarpment Savanna and Thicket, which is home to rare and almost endemic species such the Kei cycad, Bushman's river cycad, Alexandria cycad, Cerinus cycad, and Albany cycad. The Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal Provinces of South Africa contain the Drakensberg Escarpment Savannah and Thicket together with its numerous rivers. The weather is seasonal and relatively dry, with most parts receiving less than 800 mm of rain year, with southern areas receiving as little as 450 mm. Between October and March, during the warm summer months, up to 75% of the yearly precipitation falls. Due to its proximity to the sea, the ecoregion's temperature fluctuates from 12 oC to 26 oC and is essentially frost-free.

Conclusion

The savannas and veld, which are among the major grasslands of Africa, are diverse and distinctive environments that are home to a large variety of plant and animal species. These grasslands are distinguished by the existence of grasses, sparsely spaced trees, and the availability of water during specific seasons. Most of Africa is covered with savannas, but the southern region of the continent is dominated by veld. These grasslands provide grazing and farming opportunities, support a variety of species, including rhinos, zebras, and vultures, and perform significant ecological roles.

However, these ecosystems have been damaged by human activities like agriculture and water transfer projects. To maintain the ecological balance and biodiversity of Africa's largest grasslands, conservation activities are essential.

Frequently Asked Question

What are the major types of grasslands in Africa?

The major types of grasslands in Africa are savannas and velds.

What is the difference between savannas and velds?

Savannas are grasslands characterized by high summer seasonal rains and warm temperatures all year long. Velds, on the other hand, refer to various types of open ground used for farming and pasturage in Southern Africa.

Which region in Africa is known for its extensive grasslands?

Much of Africa, from the Sahara to the Cape, is covered with savanna grassland, making it one of the most prominent regions for grasslands.

What is the significance of grasslands in Africa?

Grasslands in Africa provide habitats for diverse wildlife, support agriculture and pasturage, contribute to water purification, and play a vital role in the continent's ecosystems.

What are some unique features of the Drakensberg Grasslands in South Africa?

The Drakensberg Grasslands are known for being the final habitat for lammergeiers, or bearded vultures, in southern Africa. These grasslands also host a high diversity of cycad species.

How does the annual rainfall vary in African grasslands?

Rainfall in African grasslands varies from 25 cm to 75 cm annually, with specific regions and seasons experiencing different levels of precipitation.