Tropical Grassland Biome: African Savannas

Tropical Grassland Biome: African Savannas
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Tropical Grassland Biome: African Savannas
The biome and ecosystem selected are tropical grassland and African Savannas respectively. An example of a keystone species found in the ecosystem is the African elephants. As informed by Nuñez and Dimarco (2012), African elephants play an instrumental role in maintaining suitable habitats for many species in the savanna. They have a direct influence on the density and composition of forests and can as well alter the landscape. The consumption activity of elephants creates gaps in the vegetation that not only allow the growth of new plants but also small animals to pass. The African elephant also plays a role in seed dispersal. There exist species in the African Savanna that rely entirely on elephants for dispersal of their seeds. As informed by Nuñez and Dimarco (2012), more than a third of plant species in West African forests depend on elephants for seed dispersal. It is evident that the African elephant is significantly important for the survival of the African Savannas. Furthermore, according to Save the Elephants (n.d.), during the dry season, the elephants dig water using their tusks. This practice provides water for them as well other species in the habitat. Functional redundancy defines African elephants as a keystone species because there are no other species that can carry out its role in the event of its extinction.
An invasive species found in the African savannas is Parthenium (Parthenium hysterophorus). According to Boy and Witt (2013), there exist few alien plant species that have a lethal effect on biodiversity as Parthenium. The species alters the ecology of open-woodlands and grassland habitats. The species has been gaining ground in protected areas in the African Savannas, including the Serengeti-Maasai Mara ecosystem and the Murchison Falls National Park in Uganda, posing risks to herbivores. It has a deep tap-root that monopolizes soil moisture and it also releases toxic chemicals to the soil (Boy & Witt, 2013). As a result, other species canno...