Plants in the Serengeti National Park
Plants in the Serengeti National Park make up the world’s oldest and biggest ecosystems. The Serengeti-Mara ecosystem covers over 30, 000 square kilometers and extends from Kenya’s famed Masai Mara national reserve to Tanzania’s Ngorongoro Conservation Area, passing via Serengeti National Park. The world-famous environment is a stop on the world’s second-largest and most well-known animal migration, the wildebeest migration. Over 1.5 million blue wildebeests (Connochgaetes taurinus) and 200,000 zebras (Equua burchelli) make up the magnificent migration. There are also over 400,000 Thomson gazelles (Gazella thomsoni) as well as other common animals Because they are the ones that lead the movement and provide the most to the team, the wildebeest is given the name of the migration. The migration occurs in a clockwise manner across trans borders at particular times of the year. They keep track of the weather and rainfall partners, and while the precise day of the crossing is unknown, the crossing period is.
The wide savannah grasslands, also known as Volcanic grasslands, dominate the Serengeti national park flora, which are found on the Tanzania-Kenya border. The park is only 2 degrees and 4 degrees south of the Equator. Because of the park’s proximity to the equator, the climatic conditions of the region have a direct influence on the Serengeti national park flora. According to the meteorological stations located across the Serengeti National Park, there are two rainy seasons: one that occurs early in the year, from March to May, and the other that occurs later in the year, from November to December.
The dry period lasts longer from June to October and from December to February, causing the yearly migration of wildebeests to increase in search of lush grass and clean water. During the dry season, temperatures in Serengeti National Park range from 24 to 27 degrees Celsius, and during the rainy season, temperatures range from 15 to 21 degrees Celsius. The average rainfall totals varies by area, which has an impact on the flora of the Serengeti National Park. Rainfall is high in the north, towards the beaches of Lake Victoria, while it is low in the north east. March to May, and later in November, are the rainy months.
The Serengeti national park’s uneven rainfall distribution has resulted in distinct vegetation coverings and, as a result, diverse tree species. The different Serengeti national park plants also play a role in the distribution of different wildlife species throughout the park. For example, Black Rhinos are mostly found in the north, where the vegetation is dense, leopards in the Seronera area, where there are Acacia trees, and wildebeests in the south, where the grass is sparse.
Short grass dominates the Serengeti national park’s vegetation, which covers 34% of the park and is studded with acacia tree types. According to several research done at Serengeti National Park, the park contains around 314 plant species. The Serengeti ecosystem, which includes both protected and unprotected regions, is the biggest not just in Tanzania but also in Africa. The ecology has remained mostly unchanged for decades, despite the fact that the population’s rapid growth threatens to create changes in biodiversity. According to the findings of a research done at the park, the plant species composition, vegetation structure, diversity, and distribution across the whole Serengeti Ecosystem in the Serengeti National Park revealed that the plant species found in unprotected regions of Serengeti were highly composing compared to those found in protected areas.
The Serengeti environment is home to a diverse range of inhabitants, including Riverrine Forests, open grasslands, woods, forested grasslands, shrubs, and more. These serve as various habitats for animals, resulting in a greater diversity of wildlife species in the park. For the wildlife in the Serengeti National Park, the many plant types provide as diverse food sources. According to Moshi (2000), the rate of vegetation disturbance imposed by locals has grown, contributing to the high growth rate of invading plant species such as Themeda triandra, Sesbania Sesban, Hiniscus hybridus, stringa asiatica, Vernonia poskeana, and others in the region.
Argemone Mexicana and Elionurus muticus are the most prevalent weeds in Serengeti National Park, especially in exposed regions. They are unpleasant grasses for cattle, most large animals, such as elephants, lions, leopards, giraffes, and others, employ tree types as teritori demarcations, which are allocated to areas that get a specific amount of rainfall every year. These plant species are used by others for browsing, eating, and nesting.
In Serengeti National Area, there are around 15 alien plant species that are found throughout the park. Only 50 meters distant, 80 percent of the total foreign tree species may be found along the highways and campgrounds. Acacia trees, Acacia tortilis, Acacia Drepanolobium, and Kigelia are the most prevalent plant species in Serengeti (the Sausage tree). Safaris to the Serengeti National Park or Africa are mostly focused on fauna (game), particularly the Big 5, but the Serengeti has much more to offer in terms of flora. The interdependence of animals and flora forces the two to coexist and be mutually beneficial. Shade, shelter, food, and hunting places for the predators are all provided by trees.
The Serengeti national park’s many plant types have attracted a diverse spectrum of animal species. Your Serengeti safari would be entirely different if it weren’t for the plants and vegetation. There are no picturesque vistas, and the park’s green cover is simply dust. Hence the availability of different Plants in the Serengeti National Park has made it one of the greatest game viewing destinations not only in Tanzania but entire world.
