Download Ecosystems

Ecosystems
Do you know what an ecosystem is? There
are eight ecosystems in the world. They are
called temperate forest, tropical rain forest,
desert, grassland, tundra, taiga, chaparral
and ocean. Each one is very different from
the others. What makes them so different?
Well, how much sunlight and rainfall they get
makes them different. So does the
temperature! Also, each one has special
plants and animals that live there.
Tropical Rain Forests
• Have you ever been to a rain forest? Rain forests have
very different trees than the ones you might climb in your
yard. Thousands of species of plants and animals live in
the rain forests of the world. But what makes them so
different?
• Rain forests get 80 inches of rain a year! That is a lot
compared to the rest of the world. The temperature
almost never changes. It is always warm and muggy!
• You have probably seen a movie where people are
walking through the jungle. There are all kinds of plants
in the way. But in the real rain forests, tall trees take up
most of the space. They block out the Sun, so other
plants can't grow below them.
• Where are Tropical Rain Forests?
The dark green areas on the map show the locations of tropical rain forests.
Insects of the Rain Forest
• There are many species of insect in the rain
forest. Some of the prettiest butterflies you
will ever see are found here. This image
shows a postman butterfly. Isn't it pretty?
• Tarantulas also live in the rain forest.
Tarantulas are a type of spider. Did you
know that spiders are arachnids, not
insects? Tarantulas are very creepy because
they are bigger than other spiders. Some
have strong poison that can kill a person!
• There are many other little creatures in the
rain forest. Caterpillars and centipedes are
always found eating the leaves of the trees!
Toucans are also very colorful
birds. They have large beaks that
they use to reach fruit they can't get
to. Scientists estimate there are 33
species of toucan in the rain forest.
• The birds of the rain
forest are the most
beautiful in the
world. A wide range
of colors can be
seen flying through
the trees. Many
species of tropical
birds are kept as
pets because of their
looks.
• Birds aren't the only
creatures that fly through
the rain forests! Several
species of flying mammals
live in the jungle. From the
harmless fruit bat to the
unique flying squirrel, the
tropical rain forests are full
of surprises!
• The tropical rain forests of the world are full of
reptiles. Reptiles are cold blooded, which means
their body temperature depends on their
environment. So, it is important for them to stay in
warm climates.
• Snakes are reptiles, and there are plenty of them in
the rain forests!
The Desert Ecosystem
• The desert ecosystem is one full of
interesting questions. How can anything
survive in a place with hardly any water?
Why is it so dry to begin with?
• You can find at least one desert on every
continent except Europe and Antarctica.
Each desert is different in some way, but
they all have one thing in common. In
order for an area of land to be considered
a desert, it must receive less than 10
inches of water a year.
• How come deserts get such little water? There
are few clouds in these regions, and we all know
that without clouds, there can't be rain or any
other precipitation! But clouds also serve
another purpose - they block out some of the
Sun. The desert gets mighty hot during the day
because the Sun beats down on the sand. At
night, the desert gets very cold, because there
aren't clouds around to keep the heat from
escaping to the atmosphere.
• There are plenty of differences between
the deserts of the world. Some deserts are
made of very fine, red sand, others
consists of sand mixed with pebbles and
rocks. The desert sand started out as rock,
but years of weathering by wind and water
has created dunes in the deserts. These
sands are mostly minerals, and sometimes
oil can be found hidden deep within the
rocks
Desert Plants
• Surprisingly, there are many species of plants
that survive in the desert. Most of them are
succulents, which means they store water.
Others have seeds that lay in the sand until
rain comes. Regardless, these plants find a
way to get water and protect themselves from
the heat.
• The most famous desert plant is the cactus.
There are many species of cacti. The saguaro
cactus is the tall, pole shaped cactus you see
on television. The saguaro can grow up to 40
feet tall. It can hold several tons of water
inside its soft tissue. Like all cacti, the saguaro
has a thick, waxy layer that protects it from the
Sun.
• You can find insects almost anywhere in
the world. So it should be of no surprise
that there are plenty of insects in the
desert. One of the most recognizable is
the scorpion.