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Apply today for the HHMI BioInteractive Ambassador Academy! The Academy is a multi-year professional development experience designed to support evidence-based teaching practices. We’re looking for educators with diverse backgrounds and teaching contexts who are committed to centering equity in their classrooms.Africa's Savanna Ecosystems
Description
In this talk, ecologist Robert Pringle discusses how patterns and processes that occur in the savanna, a globally important biome, illustrate core concepts in ecology.
Savannas cover 20% of Earth’s surface, including much of Africa. They are defined by the stable coexistence of trees and grass. The stability of a savanna ecosystem was once thought to be determined by abiotic factors, such as rainfall, fires, soil, and nutrients. Pringle describes research that reveals the importance of biotic factors, such as large herbivores, predators, and even termite mounds.
This talk is from a 2015 Holiday Lecture Series, Patterns and Processes in Ecology.
Key Terms
biome, fire, Gorongosa National Park, herbivore, precipitation, tree cover, trophic interaction
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