From sunlit surface water that teems with life to the deepest, darkest depths filled with some of Earth's most unusual creatures, oceans are home to a wide array of life. Peel back the corners of the ocean to find out what fascinating life exists within this ecosystem, from Earth's biggest animal, the blue whale, to tiny organisms, such as kelp. Discover where the world's oceans are and what you can do to help protect our planets rich waters.
Huge, far-reaching landscapes of swaying grass or shrubs, grasslands support a whole host of organisms and are one of the most important biomes for people, too. Peel back the corners of the grassland to find out how many different organisms rely upon this ecosystem for survival, from elephants and gazelles to prairie dogs and horses. Discover how each organism functions within its grassland ecosystem, and learn about the daily fight for survival that takes place in these huge hunting grounds. Explore grasslands all over the world and find out what you can do to help protect these rich and varied landscapes.
Let's climb a mountain - a towering, sky-scraping world that reaches high above Earths surface. What can live so high up where it is harder to breathe and the hillsides are steep? A whole ecosystem of life! Peel back the corners of a mountain to discover the incredible organisms that live in this ecosystem, from wolves and birds to frogs and goats. Find out how they work as a system, carving out an existence in one of the most remote biomes on Earth. Learn, too, where mountains are found all around the world and what you can do to help protect these amazing wildernesses.
In March 2011 the worlds second-largest nuclear disaster occurred on the eastern coast of Japan. A 9.0-magnitude earthquake caused a nearly 50-foot tsunami that flooded the Fukushima nuclear power plant. The devastating tidal wave caused equipment failures that led the nuclear reactors to overheat to the point of meltdown. Dangerous radioactive materials released into the air continue to threaten the health of the ocean and people around the world today. Topics include how movements in the earth's crust below water can cause seismic waves , the evacuation of more than 300,000 people from their homes near the power plant, contamination of crops and water, decontamination and repair work, and continued concern about leaking radiation from the power plant.
Animals have become extinct for many reasons. The most famous example, the extinction of the dinosaurs, may have been the result of an asteroid hitting Earth or an Ice Age freezing them to death. Prehistoric mammoths and saber-toothed cats may simply have been hunted to extinction. Today, animals such as elephants, zebras, tigers and leopards, some wolves, and many kinds of primates may still face extinction due to climate change, habitat loss, hunting, poaching, and pollution. This fascinating book introduces and explains the designations of endangerment from extinct in the wild to vulnerable. Children are also introduced to fossils as a way of learning about animals that lived long ago.
This informative and beautiful book looks at apex or top predators - animals that are not eaten by other animals in their habitats - and why these animals play a very important role in keeping food chains in balance. Students are introduced to the energy pyramid, which shows that there are fewer top predators than other animals and gives reasons why many of these animals are endangered. Humans, the most powerful top predators, are the biggest threat to these essential endangered animals.
They feed on us, make their homes on us, and generally make our lives miserable. They are horrible guests, sometimes spreading deadly diseases. These blood-sucking parasites are lice and fleas and they are pests of the first order! This book delves into the tiny world of ectoparasites that prey on humans and animal hosts. Learn how lice and fleas cant live without us and how humans have been battling the itchy critters, often without much success, since the dawn of time. Special sections give information on the plague-producing history of rat fleas and how to combat the scourge of head lice.
This intriguing book looks at the remarkable abilities of plants and animals, which need to be studied to make our environment more sustainable. People have already used birds as models for constructing airplanes, but there are so many other models that have not been replicated. Living things live at the depths of oceans and at the tops of the highest mountains, harness the energy of the sun to make food, make oxygen from carbon dioxide, walk on water, build structures that are air-conditioned, and make materials stronger than steel without ever polluting or damaging the environment. They have done all the things we wish we could do. This book will make young scientists aware of the super powers of nature and may inspire some to find ways to change the future of Earth!
The seashore is a unique environment where water meets land. From gulls and turtles to kelp and fish, the range of life found by the seashore will fascinate children. Highlights include the nature of food chains and webs, how microscopic aquatic organisms kick-start food chains, migratory animals that come in and out of seashore food chains, and the dangers to seashore life such as pollution.
Plants and animals in the Sonoran Desert food chains have had to adapt to the hot, dry climate of this habitat. Conserving water is a large part of these food-chain adaptations. Learn about the spectacular Saguaro cacti and the many herbivores and carnivores that are part of the food chains of this desert. Children will learn about: how plants make food how desert plants and animals adapt to drought and heat desert hunters and scavengers dangers to Sonoran Desert food chains and webs how to help save desert plants and animals
Beautiful photographs and illustrations highlight the plants and animals that live in the grassy meadow areas at the edges of forests and along the banks of rivers and lakes. Children will learn about how plants make food, the plants and animals that live in meadows, how animals find food in different seasons, and the dangers to meadow food chains and webs. how you can protect meadows
Global warming, greenhouse gases, melting mountains, habitat loss, pollution, floods, deforestation, endangered animals, and holes in the ozone are just some environmental problems highlighted in this book. Solutions such as e-cycling, the three Rs, alternative power sources, zero-carbon economy, composting, and reducing our energy footprints are a few of the possible solutions presented in this new book by Crabtree Publishing.
Earth has more than a million species of insects! There are helpful insects, harmful insects, flying insects, insects that work together, endangered insects, and some really weird insects! This fun book with great photographs will delight children and encourage them to identify insects in their world. It will also give them information to write their own books about insects!
Bobbie Kalman presents some of the most endangered animals on Earth: rhinos, bats, butterflies, penguins, gorillas, monk seals, komodo dragons, and tigers, to name just a few. This beautifully photographed volume also explains the various classifications of endangerment, as well as the major reasons why some animals are facing extinction.
Kids will be shocked to learn that arthropods outnumber all other animal species combined! They will also be fascinated by the variety of shapes, sizes, colors, and behaviors found among these invertebrates. Labeled diagrams and startling close-up photography will introduce concepts including the similarities and differences among insects, arachnids, myriapods, and crustaceans, the functions and features of an exoskeleton, molting, metamorphosis, and other interesting body facts, and the crucial function of arthropods in food chains and webs.
Marsupials are the only mammals that have a pouch on their body in which they carry their young. Most of these amazing animals live in Australia, where they have adapted to the harsh conditions of life in the outback. In What is a Marsupial? children will learn astounding facts about marsupials, including the important differences between marsupials and placentals, how kangaroos, koalas, wombats, Tasmanian devils, opossums, and bilbies are related, how marsupials reproduce and raise their young, the ways in which they hunt and feed, and why some marsupials are in danger.
Whales, manatees, seals, dolphins, and sea otters are just some of the many mammals that have evolved over time in order to survive in the water. From Arctic waters to tropical seas, vivid photographs and surprising facts about these salt water mammals reveal how these air breathing creatures have adapted to the water, their underwater senses, what they eat and how they raise their young, what cetaceans, pinnipeds, sea otters, sirenians, and polar bears are, marine zoos, and the dangers of pollution, commercial fishing, and poachers.
Amphibian means two lives since these animals spend the first part of their lives underwater and the rest on land. From flying tree frogs to slithering caecilians, kids will be captivated by this slimy animal group in What is an Amphibian? Young readers will discover the amphibian family tree, an amphibian's body, special skin and senses, how they move and what they eat, water- versus land-dwelling species, their life cycle and parental care, and defending themselves.
While humans are different from monkeys, apes, and lemurs, they are all primates and are similar in many ways. For example, primates make many sounds that humans make, such as sneezes, burps, hiccups, and even laughter! What is a Primate? identifies the members of the primate family tree and describes how they are different from each other. This book describes reproduction, communication, and feeding, the complex social structures of primates such as chimpanzees, bonobos, orangutans, and gibbons, Old and New World monkeys, and how people are different. what is being done to rescue threatened primates from destruction by their human cousins
Children continue to be fascinated by these prehistoric creatures. What is a Reptile? covers all orders of reptile from 10-foot long Komodo dragons to tiny, inch-long gecko lizards. Featured are such amazing reptile facts as reptile bodies and senses, their hunting and self defense techniques, reptile homes and babies, the different kinds of snakes, lizards, chelonians, crocodilians, and tuataras, and the dangers to reptiles.
Whales are the only mammals that spend their entire life in the water. From playful dolphins to enormous blue whales, the behavior, habitats, and physiology of these amazing marine mammals are explored in What is a Whale? Spectacular full-color photos help show flukes, flippers, and fins, the whale family tree, baleen and toothed whales, how whales communicate through echolocation, their watery homes and what they eat, baby whales, whale-watching and why whales are in danger.
The cat, with its grace, strength, and prowess, has been a source of intrigue and companionship for humans throughout time. In this comprehensive study, kids will learn about the bodies, habits, and lifestyles of large and small cats. Full-color illustrations and stunning wildlife photography accompany detailed text that covers the maternal relationship between cats and kittens, the unique features of a cat's body that allow for agility and speed, the similarities and differences between large and small cats, and endangered and vanishing cats.
Did you know that some cars are run on fuel made from the oils from sunflowers and soybeans? Biomass: Fueling Change is an exciting new book that explores bioenergy - energy derived from organic matter - to produce heat, run cars, and generate electricity. Worldwide case studies and colorful photographs and illustrations will help children learn about the history of bioenergy and how the world is using this energy today. Topics include the history of bioenergy, the various types of biomass available for energy use, the benefits of biofuels, burning biomass, the processes used to convert biomass to gas, and using bioenergy today and its limitations.
While it may not be as simple as pouring water into a gas tank, water, or at least the hydrogen that makes up water, will one day become a significant source of energy. In this important new book, children will discover not only what hydrogen is, but also how this simple element can create clean energy. Hydrogens past deals with hot air balloons and airships, its present, space shuttles and fuel cells. What fascinating technologies await its future? Other topics include what energy is, the reasons why clean energy is so important, the technologies that convert hydrogen to usable energy, the obstacles that must be overcome before hydrogen can be a reliable energy source, a case study highlighting Iceland's plan to switch to a society run on hydrogen, what a hydrogen economy is, and a timeline that provides dates for historical breakthroughs in energy production.
Dogs are believed to be the first animals to live with people as pets. What is a Dog? explains how these once-wild members of the animal kingdom still use their senses and instincts in daily living as well as in helping people. This book describes the dog family tree, a dog's body, dogs' super senses, the complex social order of dogs, and categories of dogs.
