Changing Vegetation in the Savanna: Supplementary Material to Lesson 4 of the “East Africa Climate Change Curriculum Unit” Available at Lesson 4 by Dwight Sieggreen & Barbara Naess. PowerPoint based on presentation by Jennifer M. Olson, The Eaclipse Project is supported by National Science Foundation Award No. BCS/CNH © 2010 Michigan State University Board of Trustees

Lesson 4: Changing Vegetation in the Savanna Supplementary Material 2

Rising Temperatures in East Africa InlandCoast 3 Source: Tanzania Meteorological Agency

Variable Rainfall in East Africa InlandCoast 4 Source: Tanzania Meteorological Agency

While climate change is affecting all of East Africa, the savanna is the most vulnerable ecosystem in East Africa Savanna vegetation is highly vulnerable to changes in temperature and moisture availability These changes affect people’s ability to grow crops and keep livestock in the savanna (livelihood) The EACLIPSE Project focuses on the savanna in order to have the greatest possible impact 5

Changing Vegetation In this lesson, you will look at how changes in temperature and water availability affect savanna vegetation and make predictions as to how these changes might affect people’s choices of livelihoods and land use 6

The savanna is a biome defined as a tropical grassland with scattered shrubs and trees. 7

Temperature vs. Precipitation Biome Graph 8 Source: The Wild Classroom.

Ecological Zones in East Africa Rainfall and evaporation determine moisture availability High temperatures speed up evaporation and evapotranspiration, decreasing moisture availability In East Africa, seven ecological zones have been described based on moisture availability and temperatures. Three of these zones (IV, V, and VI) include the savanna 9 Source: Kenya Ministry of Agriculture 1980: Agro-climatic zone map of Kenya 1980

10 Table based on: Kenya Ministry of Agriculture 1980: Agro-climatic zone map of Kenya 1980 Source: Pratt, Greenway and Gwynne, A Classification of East African Rangeland. Journal of Applied Ecology, 3, 2:

11 Zone IV: Dry Woodland and Bushland H igher moisture availability Taller trees More ground cover Better growing conditions

12 Zone V: Bushland Lower moisture availability Scattered shrubs Medium ground cover Poor growing conditions

13 Zone VI: Bushland and Scrubland Low moisture availability Infrequent shrubs or scrub Less ground cover Very poor growing conditions

Changes in Savanna Vegetation Moisture availability will impact: crops livestock wildlife habitats …affecting people’s livelihood options and land use 14

15 Impact on Crops Timing of planting and harvest Length of growing season What crops can be planted, where Whether some areas will be suitable for farming Lower crop yields (productivity) Greater risk of crop failure

16 Impact on Livestock When there are higher temperatures and less moisture availability: vegetation dries out faster water becomes scarce ground cover decreases (less forage for livestock) forage grows less quickly (lower productivity) forage species are of lower quality (palatability) droughts are more often and more severe livestock diseases are more frequent

17 Impact on Wildlife Habitats Many wildlife are sensitive to changes in temperature and to water availability Plants needed by some species may not grow Wildlife migration patterns may change

T he EACLIPSE project is collecting data on changes in climate and ecosystems in East Africa. The data collected include: temperature and rainfall plant species, and plant density (ground cover) This information will help researchers predict the effects of climate change and anticipate what kinds of livelihoods and land use might be viable under different conditions. 18

Discussion Questions 1. How does climate change affect vegetation in the savanna? 2. What factors affect moisture availability? 3. What happens to savanna vegetation as moisture availability decreases? 4. What would happen if there were not enough moisture available for bushland and scrubland vegetation? 5. How does the changing vegetation affect people’s livelihood/land use options? 6. How does changing vegetation fit into the human- land-climate system loop? 19

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