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Climate Affect on Plants & Animals
The climate in Kumasi, Ghana, is known to be tropical, featuring two distinct seasons: the wet and dry seasons. These seasons have a significant impact on the animals and plants in the region. Kumasi isn't known to experience severe climate changes that are deadly to its plant and animal life. (9)
During these two seasons, plants and animals develop adaptations convenient for them to withstand the conditions accompanying each season. In the wet season, some plants develop deep roots to store water for use during the dry season. Additionally, certain plants shed their leaves in the dry season to reduce water loss. In terms of animals, some migrate in response to climate change. Birds, for instance, migrate to regions with more favorable conditions during the dry season. (9)
The picture below is how a Baobab tree looks during the dry season(11).
Biomes & Ecoregions.
The city of Kumasi is located among the regions in West Africa. While the biome and ecoregion may vary based on the specific part of Africa the city or country is located. But most of the regions falls within the Tropical Rainforest biome. This is characterized by high annual precipitation, warmer temperatures, and good vegetation.
Ecoregion on the other hand is classified under the Guinean Forests of West Africa. This is characterized by the numerous of species like plants, and animals with high biodiversity (10).
The picture below is a picture of Kakum Nation Park located in Ghana. (12)
Topography Influence
The city of Kumasi lies between latitudes 6.35 degrees and 6.40 degrees and longitudes 1.30 degrees and 1.35 degrees, with an elevation level between 200 and 300 meters above sea level. The topographical features like mountains and hills in Kumasi create different temperature zones. This influences the types of animals and plants that can survive at the different levels of elevations to create their habitats.
In addition to this, climate and precipitation can also be influenced by the topography. Features like mountains may block or redirect the winds. This could affect the types of vegetation that can exist in the various regions in the city of Kumasi (13).
Below is a picture of the elevation in Kumasi.(14)
Vegetation & Wildlife Influence
Aside from climate, factors like the composition of soil, topography, human activities, and the geology of the city of Kumasi all influence the vegetation and wildlife in the region (15).
Composition of soil: In order for a plant to grow, it requires a specific type of soil composition. This determines the growth of the plants because the right soil gives the right plant the correct nutrients to grow (15).
Topography: As listed above, features of topography like mountains and hills influence vegetation and wildlife as they create diverse habitats (13).
Human activities: Human activities like poor farming, deforestation, and land conversion can disrupt vegetation and wildlife, as these activities destroy the lands and the environment (15).
Geology: The location of Kumasi geologically influences the availability of minerals and nutrients in the soil. The Ashanti region, which is the capital region in Kumasi, is known for being the largest cocoa production region. This is a result of the geological formations of Kumasi (15).
Environmental Threats
Just like every other region, there are some activities that pose threats to the environment. Ghana as a whole is known for the destruction of our environment as a result of excessive mining conducted in the country. In addition to this, pollution is one of the biggest factors that is destroying our land. Polluted water streams are caused by people throwing trash and feces into them. Air pollution from fumes and soil contamination from the use of excessive chemicals are all factors that threaten our environment (16).
Climate Change is another factor that threatens the environment. Ghana is known for its two distinct seasons. During the dry and wet seasons, the country experiences extreme weather events like drought and floods, respectively. Floods are caused by the extreme rainfall the country experiences during the wet season (17). In 1983, Ghana experienced its harshest drought in its history called the Drought of 1983, which was a result of the lack of rainfall (18).
Picture below is an image of the land of a corn plantation i Ghana during the dry season.
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