Overview:
The Savanna biome is the biome which humans have been using for the longest. The word Savanna originally comes from an Arawak word meaning ‘land without trees but with much grass. Originally humans lived in the Savanna biomes using its life as a source of food and materials. Humans have continued to use Savanna biomes in such a way even into modern times. The Aborigines of Australia continue in places to have a traditional Savanna hunter-gatherer culture even to this day.
Humans destroy the Savanna biome in this day and age for its various uses. Humans use Savannas as a source of food as well as other things such as fibre and wood production. Minerals are taken from these Savannas via mining and Savannas have been transformed by humans into many things such as national parks, tourism areas and urban developments
Humans destroy the Savanna biome in this day and age for its various uses. Humans use Savannas as a source of food as well as other things such as fibre and wood production. Minerals are taken from these Savannas via mining and Savannas have been transformed by humans into many things such as national parks, tourism areas and urban developments
Degradation:
Degradation of the Savanna is being caused by the increase in its use by humans. There is less vegetation and the soil is degraded which is resulting in problems with nutrients and water (availability and balance). There are over 800 species of trees and shrubs in certain Brazilian Savannas but much of these biomes are being cleared so crops such as beans, corn and rice can be grown and for other such agricultural uses.
Foreign Species:
Humans are also disrupting the natural flow of the Savanna by releasing foreign species into the wild. These are referred to as introduced species or exotic species. One example of this is when rabbits were introduced into Australian Savanna and they quickly multiplied and spread across the entire country. There are many types of grassland plants which are now extinct because of the introduction of these pests.
Human Population:
The population of humans actually living in most Savannas in modern times is fairly low however it has a likelihood of increasing in the coming future as humans alter it more and more to suit them better.
Farming:
Cattle have been raised in Indian and African Savannas for more than 6000 years. This has caused the humans who own and tend to these cattle to change the environment around them in order to make it better for themselves and the cows. They have done things such as killing predators, building dwellings and clearing land. These areas are much better for the people and their tamed animals then for the wild animals that were there first. These animals would have to adapt or leave.
Human Manipulation:
Humans also impact upon the environment of the Savanna by trying to control it. They stop the fires which would naturally clear the land, keep out certain animals which should naturally be there and remove grass and some of the few trees which grow there. This destroys or at least changes the environment. Things can happen such as if fires manage to start then they rage much more powerfully because then land was not cleared by smaller fires.
Fires are often started by humans in the area of Savannas, whether accidental or intentional, and these fires can easily get out of hand and destroy many plants and kill many animals. These fires may not usually do long term damage to mature trees however they burn grass and kill tree seedlings which stops new trees from growing. The Aboriginal people would sometimes purposely start fires to stop some Savannas becoming forest areas. When these burnings were stopped many savannas changed to areas of forest or very thick shrub.
Humans also clear trees from Savannas to make them better for pasture production. They will also remove the trees from the area because trees can be used by predators as cover and this means the predator will find it easier to kill livestock. This removal of the trees stops the competition with grass for water which leads to a much larger growth of grass in that area. Humans often use this increase of grass to their benefit by using the grass as feed for their animals.
Fires are often started by humans in the area of Savannas, whether accidental or intentional, and these fires can easily get out of hand and destroy many plants and kill many animals. These fires may not usually do long term damage to mature trees however they burn grass and kill tree seedlings which stops new trees from growing. The Aboriginal people would sometimes purposely start fires to stop some Savannas becoming forest areas. When these burnings were stopped many savannas changed to areas of forest or very thick shrub.
Humans also clear trees from Savannas to make them better for pasture production. They will also remove the trees from the area because trees can be used by predators as cover and this means the predator will find it easier to kill livestock. This removal of the trees stops the competition with grass for water which leads to a much larger growth of grass in that area. Humans often use this increase of grass to their benefit by using the grass as feed for their animals.
In Conclusion:
Because of human interference the Savannas of the world are no longer what they used to be. Some of the effects and impacts of this have been good. However, many of these impacts are not good and destroy the environment of these biomes.