Species Diversity |
 Look around you. You are surrounded by life - some of it you can see, some of it you can't see. Species diversity is the variety of life forms found on earth.
Diversity of Life - There are millions of known and unknown species. Ecosystems - Everything in the natural world is connected. An ecosystem is a community of living and nonliving things that work together. Classifying Life - All the species of organisms on earth fall into one of five categories or kingdoms. Classifying Mammals - Scientists have organized mammals into orders based on their characteristics and their structures. Classifying the Bobcat - Find out how scientists classify one animal, the bobcat. Plant Diversity - Learn about the over 300,000 plant species in the world. Mosses and Liverworts - These types of plants have no roots, leaves or stems. Tracheophytes - This group of plants has roots, stems and leaves. Ferns - Ferns don't have seeds. They have spores. Conifers and Cycads - These plants are gymnosperms. They have seeds, but no flowers! Angiosperms: Flowering Plants - There are over 250,000 species of angiosperms. Angiosperms are flowering plants. They make up around 80 percent of all the living plant species on Earth. | Did You Know? ...scientists have identified only a fraction of all the different species on Earth.
... one out of every five animal species is a type of beetle! What Do You Think? Click here to test your diversity knowledge. NatureFiles
Teacher's Guide
View OnlineIn the first segment, Patrice looks at the wide variety of life found on earth. and the important role species diversity plays in maintaining a health environment. Next she and Dave sweep for insects in a field near the Squam Lakes Natural Science Center and see how many different kinds of insects they can find. In segment three we take an up-close look at life on the forest floor. Finally Morrisa and Octave join Susan Morse of Keeping Track and discover the diversity of animals where she lives by looking for their tracks. Watch Online >>
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Learn more about these animals 