South Saharan steppe and woodlands

South Sahara desert ecoregion

South Saharan steppe and woodlands

Dar al-Manasir, Sudan

map of the South Saharan steppe and woodlands

Ecology
Realm| Palearctic
Biome| Deserts and xeric shrublands
Geography
Area| 1,101,700 km2 (425,400 sq mi)
Countries|

List

* Algeria
* Chad
* Mali
* Mauritania
* Niger
* Sudan

Conservation
Conservation status| relatively intact

The South Saharan steppe and woodlands, also known as the South Sahara desert, is a deserts and xeric shrublands ecoregion of northern Africa. This band is a transitional region between the Sahara's very arid center (the Sahara desert ecoregion) to the north, and the wetter Sahelian Acacia savanna ecoregion to the south.[1] In pre-modern times, the grasslands were grazed by migratory gazelles and other ungulates after the rainfalls. More recently, over-grazing by domestic livestock have degraded the territory.[1] Despite the name of the ecoregion, there are few 'woodlands' in the area; those that exist are generally acacia and shrubs along rivers and in wadis.[2]

## Location and description

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The ecoregion covers 1,101,700 square kilometers (425,400 sq mi) in Algeria, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, and Sudan. It extends east and west across the continent in a band, forming a transition between the hyper-arid Sahara Desert to the north and the Sahel grasslands and savannas to the south.[3][2][1]

## Climate

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The climate of the ecoregion is Hot semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification (BSh)). This climate is characteristic of steppes, with hot summers and cool or mild winters, and minimal precipitation. The coldest month averages above 0 °C (32 °F).[4][5] Movements of the equatorial Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) bring summer rains during July and August which average 100 to 200 mm, but vary greatly from year to year. These rains sustain summer pastures of grasses and herbs, with dry woodlands and shrublands along seasonal watercourses.[6]

## Flora and fauna

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Almost 99% of the region is bare ground or sparse vegetation that is dependent on uncertain rainfall. The grasses are typically canegrass (Eragrostis), needlegrasses (Aristida), and species of genus Stipagrostis. The herbs include (Tribulus), (Heliotropium), and (Pulicaria). Characteristic tree species are the umbrella thorn acacia (Acacia tortilis), salam (Acacia ehrenbergiana), Egyptian balsam (Balanites aegyptiaca), and (Maerua crassifolia). Along the southern edge are steppes featuring clumps of bunchgrass (Panicum turgidum).[1]

Most of the animals of the region have been reduced to small populations, including the critically endangered addax (also known as the white antelope) (Addax nasomaculatus), the endangered slender-horned gazelle (Gazella leptoceros), the vulnerable Dorcas gazelle (Gazella dorcas), the critically endangered dama gazelle (Gazella dama), the near threatened striped hyena (Hyaena hyaena), the vulnerable cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus), the endangered wild dog (Lycaon pictus), and the ostrich (Struthio camelus).[1]

## Ecoregion delineation

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In 2001, WWF devised Terrestrial Ecoregions of the World (TEOW) "a biogeographic regionalization of the Earth's terrestrial biodiversity".[7] The 2001 regionalization divided the deserts of the Sahara into several ecoregions. The South Saharan steppe and woodlands ecoregion included the transitional region between the Sahelian Acacia savanna and the Sahara's hyper-arid center, designated the Sahara desert ecoregion.[8][9]

In 2017, the authors of the 2001 system proposed a revised ecoregion system for the Sahara. The South Saharan steppe and woodlands ecoregion was extended into the central Sahara, and renamed South Sahara desert. Two new ecoregions, the West Sahara desert and East Sahara desert, were designated in the hyper-arid center.[10]

## Protected areas

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Approximately 11% of the ecoregion is officially protected in some form.[2] These include:

* Aïr and Ténéré National Nature Reserve, in Niger.
* Ouadi Rimé-Ouadi Achim Faunal Reserve, in Chad.

## References

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1. ^ a b c d e "South Saharan steppe and woodlands". The Encyclopedia of Earth. Retrieved January 17, 2021.
2. ^ a b c "South Saharan steppe and woodlands". Digital Observatory for Protected Areas. Retrieved January 17, 2021.
3. ^ "Map of Ecoregions 2017". Resolve, using WWF data. Retrieved January 17, 2021.
4. ^ Kottek, M.; Grieser, J.; Beck, C.; Rudolf, B.; Rubel, F. (2006). "World Map of Koppen-Geiger Climate Classification Updated" (PDF). Gebrüder Borntraeger 2006. Retrieved September 14, 2019.
5. ^ "Dataset - Koppen climate classifications". World Bank. Retrieved September 14, 2019.
6. ^ "South Saharan steppe and woodlands". Terrestrial Ecoregions. World Wildlife Fund. Retrieved December 29, 2007.
7. ^ "Terrestrial Ecoregions of the World". World Wildlife Fund. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
8. ^ "South Saharan steppe and woodlands". Terrestrial Ecoregions. World Wildlife Fund. Retrieved April 25, 2020.
9. ^ Olson, DM; Dinerstein, E; Wikramanayake, ED; Burgess, ND; et al. (2001). "Terrestrial ecoregions of the world: a new map of life on Earth". BioScience. 51 (11): 933–938\. doi:10.1641/0006-3568(2001)051[0933:TEOTWA]2.0.CO;2.
10. ^ Dinerstein, Eric; Olson, David; et al. (June 2017). "An Ecoregion-Based Approach to Protecting Half the Terrestrial Realm". BioScience. 67 (6): 534–545\. doi:10.1093/biosci/bix014. PMC 5451287. PMID 28608869. S2CID 13136188.

* v
* t
* e

Palearctic deserts and xeric shrublands ecoregions

Africa|

* Atlantic coastal desert
* North Saharan steppe and woodlands
* Red Sea coastal desert
* Sahara desert
* South Saharan steppe and woodlands
* Tibesti–Jebel Uweinat montane xeric woodlands
* West Saharan montane xeric woodlands

Western Asia|

* Arabian Desert
* Azerbaijan shrub desert and steppe
* Central Persian desert basins
* Mesopotamian shrub desert
* Persian Gulf desert and semi-desert
* Red Sea Nubo–Sindian tropical desert and semi-desert
* South Iran Nubo–Sindian desert and semi-desert

Central Asia|

* Afghan Mountains semi-desert
* Badghyz and Karabil semi-desert
* Baluchistan xeric woodlands
* Caspian lowland desert
* Central Afghan Mountains xeric woodlands
* Central Asian northern desert
* Central Asian riparian woodlands
* Central Asian southern desert
* Kazakh semi-desert
* Kopet Dag semi-desert
* Paropamisus xeric woodlands
* Registan–North Pakistan sandy desert

Eastern Asia|

* Alashan Plateau semi-desert
* Dzungaria
* Eastern Gobi desert steppe
* Gobi Lakes Valley desert steppe
* Great Lakes Basin desert steppe
* Qaidam Basin
* Taklamakan Desert

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