The biology of African savannahs

"Savannahs form a rich mosaic of diverse ecosystems, and The Biology of the African Savannah offers an introduction to their ecology. It describes the major plants and animals that live in this habitat, and examines the biological and ecological factors that influence their populations size, interactions, and community composition. The book also discusses conservation issues such as climate change, hunting, and conflict between wildlife and domestic animals."--BOOK JACKET.  Read more... 1. Savannahs -- Distribution world-wide -- African savannahs -- 2. The vegetation -- Rainfall, plant biomass, and the grass-tree mixture -- Morphology and life history -- Grasses -- Trees -- Local vegetation patterns : the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem -- 3. The animals -- The insects -- The birds -- The mammals -- 4. Single species populations -- Estimating numbers -- What changes numbers? -- Population models -- Other species, in other areas -- 5. Species interactions -- Predator-prey type interaction [...](+ -- ) -- Competitive interactions ( -- ) -- Mutualistic interactions (+ +) -- 6. The savannah community and its conservation -- Energy flow and food webs -- Assembly rules -- Island biogeography -- Conserving savannah ecosystems -- References -- Index