Savanna Biomes In Nigeria: Indicatzor Species And Plant Adaptation Strategies

Abstract

The savanna isconsidered an exclusively tropical biome, largely found in Africa. It comprises of grasslands with scattered trees that are sufficiently widely spaced so that the canopy does not close. The savanna biome covers more than 86% of Nigeria's vegetation cover. There are three major savanna belts in Nigeria, namely: the Guinea savanna, the Sudan savanna, and the Sahel savanna. The Guinea savanna is the most extensive ecological zone, covering more than half of the country’s land area. It has typically short trees and tall grasses and is the most luxuriant of the Savannah vegetation belts in Nigeria. The Sudan savanna belt is found in the northern parts of Nigeria. The Sudan savanna is characterised by high rainfall variability, frequent droughts, and poor soil fertility. The Sahel savanna is found in the extreme northwest and northeast of the country. It has sparse vegetation that is dependent on uncertain rainfall, dominantly grasses with discontinuous shrubs and scattered trees, which are often thorny, and extensive sparse grasses. Savannah plants are faced with some delimiting factors, such as seasonal drought, low water and nutrient availability, the impacts of regular fire, and herbivory, among others, which threaten their survival. This article discusses the Savanna biome in Nigeria, its indicator species, and the adaptative features exhibited by plants in the savanna to ensure their survival.