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Narration

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Video of flocks of birds flying over trees and oceans. A mangrove plant in water, showing fish and jellies under the surface. A gorilla in the forest. An illustration showing an example ecosystem: first we see the sun, then some plants, then deer and small mammals, then a tree full of birds, then predators such as a fox and a wolf. They’re all connected by arrows. A timelapse of clouds in the sky, video of a sunrise, closeup on snowflakes falling, slo mo raindrops, a snowy canyon, a hand slowly releasing dirt, a red cave rock formation. The same ecosystem illustration from before, but this time the plant turns gray, then the deer and mammals, then the tree, then the predators. The arrows disappear.

Plants and animals change and adapt based on the region and environment in which they live. Plants and animals in certain regions depend on each other. The trees and animals work together as

Benefits such as shade, nourishment and support are provided. The interaction of plant life, animal life and the physical environment is called an ecosystem. Life within an ecosystem can be affected by such things as the climate, sunlight, temperature, precipitation, elevation, soil and landforms. All of these elements interact to form an ecosystem which means that one change in an ecosystem can lead to other changes.

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A thematic map of the world, showing different color-coded biomes such as deciduous forest, tundra, savanna, and desert. Circles showing deciduous forests appear in three places on the map where this biome is listed.  

An ecosystem is classified by its natural animal and plant life. Throughout the world there are small and major types of ecosystems. The major systems are called Biomes. A deciduous forest is one example of a biome. These forests, no matter where they are found around the world are likely to have moderate climate conditions.

3

An aerial video of an evergreen forest. Different shots of rainforests. The biome map from before. Videos of leaves on trees. An image of deforestation. Video of coniferous forests. A chaparral at sunset, showing low level bushes.

Ecosystems are found around the world and in various types. One kind of ecosystem is a forest. There are many kinds of forests, for example ones near the equator where the temperature is warm and humid are called tropical rainforests. A tropical rainforest has tall trees which form a canopy of leaves at the top. This canopy blocks much of the sun from reaching the forest floor. Rainforests cover only about 6 percent of the earth’s surface yet contain more than half of the earth’s plant and animal species. Forests which grow around the middle latitudes are called deciduous. These forests contain trees which shed their leaves during the cold season. These forests were once very abundant however today much of these areas have been cleared for human use. A coniferous is another kind of forest. These are found mostly in the north and have trees that contain needles instead of leaves. Further north one would find a Chaparral forest which contains small evergreen trees and low bushes.

4

The biome image from before, with video of three different types of grasslands along the equator. An African savannah showing a bathing elephant at sunset. A savannah in the rain, several African animals in a dry desert, and a fire on the savannah at night. Video of a deer, and video of a lion. A closeup of a wheatfield in the wind.

This central areas of many continents contain what are called grasslands. Grasslands can vary depending on their latitudes and have different names depending on where they are located. Grasslands near the equator are tropical. These are called savannas. The Savannas have three seasons, wet, dry and a time of natural wildfires. Animals that eat plants or herbivores and animals which rely on meat or carnivores, depend on these grasslands as their main ecosystem. The mild grasslands which cover the central region of North America are called prairies. Different amounts of rainfall produce different lengths of grass.

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Video of a desert grows out of the biome map. We see a cactus, then a group of small succulents. We see a desert tortoise, then an iguana eating a flower petal.

When many think of a desert region they think of barren expanses of sand. This is not true. Many plants and animals live in the deserts and have adapted to survive with very little water. Cactus have adapted with spiny needles to protect them and their water from animals. Other desert plants have adapted small leaves these smaller leaves lose less water through evaporation. Desert animals have adapted as well. Many desert animals get most of their water from the seeds, plants and other animals they eat.

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An image of a tundra grows out of the tundra area of the biome map. We see a treeless alpine tundra. Zoom in on a small bunch of arctic flowers and plants. An icy lake with a layer of frost on the shore. A herd of reindeer standing in the tundra.

Another ecosystem can be found in a tundra region. In the tundras, temperatures are always cool or cold and like a desert, only certain plants and animals have adapted to survive. A tundra Alpine regions can be found usually in high mountains. The elevations are so high in the tundra alpine that no trees grow here. Small plants and flowers can be found. The arctic tundra, found in arctic regions, plants have adapted to live in extreme cold temperatures with short growing seasons. Most arctic landscapes do not have trees. Some tundras have what is known as permafrost. This is a layer of soil just below the surface that stays frozen all year. Scientists have found that even though some regions seem very extreme, life can adapt and be found in the most seemingly barren of areas.