The Biology of African Savannahs

by Bryan Shorrocks

Savannah habitats comprise an ecologically important but ultimately fragile ecosystem. They constitute one of the largest biomes on Earth, covering about twenty percent of the land surface, and can be simply described as tropical and subtropical grasslands with scattered bushes and trees. Most
savannahs occur in Africa (with a smaller amount in South America, India and Australia), which is the region that this book concentrates on. Savannahs form a rich mosaic of diverse ecosystems, and The Biology of African Savannahs offers a concise but comprehensive introduction to their ecology. It
describes the major plants (grasses, and trees such as Acacia) and animals (mainly large mammals) that live in this habitat, and examines the biological and ecological factors that influence their population size, interactions (such as predation) and community composition. Conservation issues such
as climate change, hunting, and conflict between wildlife and domestic animals are also discussed.

This accessible text is suitable for both senior undergraduate and graduate students taking courses in savannah and tropical ecology as part of a wider ecology and/or conservation biology degree program. It will also be of relevance and use to the many professional ecologists and conservation
practitioners requiring a concise but authoritative overview of the topic.

Paperback

First published August 30, 2007

Reviews

[Liam Hodack Torpy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very educational book packed with good information. It is not an exhaustive study of the subject, as shown by the abridged conservation section at the end, but its small size makes it a useful resource to take on the go and read in camp.