The main difference between savanna and grassland is that savannas have scattered trees here and there, while grasslands do not have trees and have only a thick density of grass.
Savanna and grassland are two types of biomes that mainly feature grass. Although both have quite similar features, there are a number of differences between savanna and grassland.
Key Areas Covered
1. What is Savanna
– Definition, Features
2. What is Grassland
– Definition, Features
3. Similarities Between Savanna and Grassland
– Outline of Common Features
4. Difference Between Savanna and Grassland
– Comparison of Key Differences
Key Terms
Grassland, Savanna
What is Savanna
Savanna is a treeless land covered with grass and some trees scattered across the grassland. Savannas are also known as “tropical grasslands.” However, trees in the savanna are not close enough, and they do not form a canopy. Therefore, these types of lands are different from forests and jungles. Savannas are typically vegetation zones; the fall between tropical rainforests and desserts.
Savannas usually require a humid climate, which can be seen in tropical areas. Although there are scattered large trees in the landscape, the land is basically fully covered with grass. In addition, the soil of a savanna is not fertile, and it has clay-rich soil that consists of a thin layer. There are different types of savannas. These include shrub savannas, bush savannas, or tree savannas. Savannas receive some rainfall, resulting in the growth of some trees and bushes on the land. Mostly, savannas can be seen in areas across the north and south of the tropical rainforests around the equator. Africa is the continent that has the largest savannas in the world. There are also savannas in India, South America, and Australia.
What is Grassland
Grassland is a land filled with shorter vegetation, mostly grass. These forms of land do not get heavy rainfall, and as a result, it does not support the growth of trees. This rainfall may only support the growth of grass and small bushes. In addition, the climate of grasslands is drier. But the soil of grasslands is very fertile and is dark brown in color.
There are different types of grasslands such as tropical grassland, temperate grassland, flooded grassland, montane grassland, and desert grassland. Grasslands are usually located in areas like North America, Eurasia, Australia, and New Zealand. Furthermore, we can categorize the climate in grasslands as hot summers and cold winters. Thus, there is a considerable variation in temperature across the season. In summer, the heat reaches its extremes, and in winter, it reaches around zero. In grasslands, tall trees are very rare since the climate does not support the growth of trees.
Similarities Between Savanna and Grassland
- Extensive grass grows in both savanna and grassland.
- There are different types of savannas and grasslands in ecosystems.
Difference Between Savanna and Grassland
Definition
Savanna is a treeless land covered with grass and with few trees scattered across the land, while grassland is a land filled with shorter vegetation, mostly grass, without any tall trees in the down.
Climate
Although savannas have a tropical climate, grasslands have both dried and cold climates.
Soil
The soil in the savannas is not very fertile, whereas the soil in the grasslands looks brown and fertile.
Characteristics
Although savannas have scattered tall trees across the landscape, grasslands are treeless meadows.
Location
You can find savannas in areas across the north and south of the tropical rainforest around the equator, whereas you can find the grasslands in areas like North America, Eurasia, Australia, and New Zealand.
Rainfall
Savannas receive more rainfall than grasslands.
Vegetation
Since savannas receive more rainfall, trees grow in these regions, but they do not form canopies. On the other hand, in grasslands, the climate does not allow the growth of tall trees in the land.
Conclusion
Savanna and grassland are two types of biomes that mainly feature grass. The main difference between savanna and grassland is that savannas have scattered trees here and there, while grasslands have only a thick density of grass and do not have trees.
Reference:
1. “Savanna.” Wikipedia. Wikipedia Foundation.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Serengeti-African-Elephants” By Bjørn Christian Tørrissen – Own work (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Grass, landscape, field, nature, sky, rural, meadow, grassland” (CC0) via Pixino
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