Question

The most typical vegetation of the tropical grasslands is its grasses. The grasses are tall and coarse. The stiff, hard grasses range in height from 1 metre to 3 metres. The elephant grass is as high as 4.5 m.

1. What is the term used for tropical grasslands in Africa?
2. Name the two main occupations of the people living in the tropical grasslands.
3. The removal of the grasses has adversely affected the environment. Explain how.

Answer 1

1. Savanna (also called the Sudan type or Sudan climate).
2. The two main occupations are pastoralism (herding/livestock rearing) and agriculture (crop cultivation/farming).
3. How the removal of grasses harms the environment:
   • Loss of protective cover exposes topsoil to wind and water erosion, causing loss of fertile soil and leading toward desertification.
   • Reduced soil moisture retention and fertility, so land becomes less productive for crops and pasture.
   • Loss of food and shelter for grazing animals disrupts wildlife populations and their seasonal migrations.
   • Increased surface runoff (more flooding) and changed microclimate (hotter, drier local conditions) further degrade the ecosystem.