Savanna

The savanna is an area of tropical, wooded grassland found in the drier regions of tropical wet and dry climate, an intermediate stage between open grassland and forest. Widely scattered, short, flat-topped trees dot the landscape. The grass is tall and grows in bunches. Grass is different from other green plants. In most plants, the zones of growth of new plant tissue are at the tips of leaves, shoots, and roots. In grass, new tissue grows from the base of the leaves. When animals eat the top portion of the grass plant, they do not stop it from growing. Underground runners allow grass to spread over a wide area, and a fibrous mat of roots enables grass to withstand drought and fire. Grasses are pollinated by the wind; they are not dependent upon insects that might not be able to withstand long periods of drought. New grass grows at the start of each rainy season but soon withers and dies during the dry period. Fire plays an important role in removing dead material so new plants can grow.