savannah

savannahs

An ecosystem made up of a mix of grassland and wooded areas is called a savannah. The African savannah is home to elephants, zebras, lions, and many other animals.

A savannah is different from a forest because the widely spaced trees allow plenty of sunlight to filter through, resulting in dense grasses. Most savannahs are located in tropical areas, but even North America has its share — and before the 19th century, areas of land kept clear by controlled fires were also described as savannahs. Although the word means "treeless plain" in Spanish, a true savannah does have trees as well as grasses.