Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made · freshwater, and marine ecoregions. Ecoregions are broad habitat types that are tied to specific geographic regions

DOCUMENT RESUME

ED 476 762 SE 067 817

TITLE Mapping Biodiversity.

INSTITUTION World Wildlife Fund, Washington, DC.

REPORT NO No-23

PUB DATE 2003-00-00

NOTE 24p.

PUB TYPE Guides Classroom Teacher (052)

EDRS PRICE EDRS Price MF01/PC01 Plus Postage.

DESCRIPTORS Activity Units; *Biodiversity; *Biology; Lesson Plans; *Maps;Science Activities; Science Instruction; Secondary Education;Teaching Methods

ABSTRACT

This document features a lesson plan that examines how mapshelp scientists protect biodiversity and how plants and animals are adaptedto specific ecoregions by comparing biome, ecoregion, and habitat. Samples ofinstruction and assessment are included. (KHR)

Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be madefrom the original document.

23 Mapping BiodiversitySUBJECTSsocial studies (geography),

science, art

SKILLSgathering (reading comprehension),organizing (manipulating materials,mapping, matching), interpreting(relating), applying (proposingsolutions, synthesizing), citizenship(working in a group)

FRAMEWORK LINKSZ 3, 7, 12, 17, 21, 23, 25, 53, 56, 71

VOCABULARYbiome, ecoregion, endemic, gapanalysis, Geographic InformationSystems (GIS), habitat, temperaterain forest, tropical dry forest,tropical rain forest

TIMEPart Ione to two sessionsPart IIone to two sessions, orhomework if class time is limited

MATERIALSSee "Before You Begin" Part I and Part

IL

CONNECTIONSFor a look at more species fromaround the world, try "EndangeredSpecies Gallery Walk" (pages

240-245), and explore the majorcauses of biodiversity loss with "TheCase of the Florida Panther" (pages

246-251). To look at some of theother factors important in designingreserves, use "Space for Species"

(pages 286-301).

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONOffice of Educational Research and Improvement

E UCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATIONCENTER (ERIC)

is document has been reproduced asreceived from the person or organizationoriginating it.

Minor changes have been made toimprove reproduction quality.

° Points of view or opinions stated in thisdocument do not necessarily representofficial OERI position cr policy.

PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE ANDDISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS

BEEN GRANTED BY

TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCESINFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)

'MN AT A GLANCETake part in mapping activities to explore theworld's ecoregions and learn how experts makedecisions about which natural areas to protect.

cor OBJECTIVESGive several examples of how maps help scientists protectbiodiversity. Compare the following terms: biome,ecoregion, and habitat. Give several examples of howplants and animals are adapted to specific ecoregions.

onservation biologists know that if we want to protectspecies over the long term, we need to protect the placeswhere species live. Sound simple? Maybe. But speciesprotection is complicated work for biologists, social

scientists, and planners. It's not enough to know the life cycle ofone species. Experts need to understand the relationships between aspecies and its ecosystem, among different species in the sameecosystem, and among adjacent ecosystems. They also need to knowhow people affect and are affected by species and ecosystems. Andthey need to decide which areas are most important to protect.

None of this is easy. And beyond that lies the challenge of puttingall available information together in a way that helps create effectiveconservation strategies in the short term and long term.The good news is that two of the most effective planning toolsmapsand computershave come a long way in the past decade.

In Part I of this activity, your students will learn more about howbiologists survey and map critical ecoregions by taking a close look atWorld Wildlife Fund's Global 200 map of the world, which highlightsmore than 200 ecoregions that WWF believes represent the mostimportant conservation priorities for the twenty-first century. Byplaying a mapping game with the Global 200 map, the students willlearn more about the species, ecological processes, and landscapesthat make these ecoregions so important. In Part II, they'll conducttheir own gap analysis in an area they create. Depending on theresources you have in your school or community, you can introducethem to Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology and givethem a chance to see how it can be used locally to study and plan forthe,protection of biodiversity.

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23-Mapping BiodiversityWhat's the Status of Biodiversity?

Make one one-sided copy of each of the "Ecoregion Species Cards." (pages 123-137 in the Student Book). Make20 copies of "Ecoregion at-a-Glance" (page 121 in the Student Book), which is one for each ecoregion coveredin this activity. Make seven copies of the "Secret Message Cards" (page 138 in the Student Book). Gather scissors,clear tape or glue, string, and world maps or atlases (optional).

THE GLOBAL 200

WWF's Global 200 map highlights 233 of the richest,most diverse, and most threatened terrestrial,freshwater, and marine ecoregions. Ecoregions arebroad habitat types that are tied to specificgeographic regions. For example, the Namib andKaroo Deserts and Shrub lands is an ecoregion inwestern Africa. And the Everglades FloodedGrasslands is an ecoregion in the southeast cornerof the United States. The ecoregions highlighted onthe map include a broad representation of theworld's biodiversity and provide a blueprint forWWF's conservation priorities in the next century.(See the box on page 256 for more about ecoregions,ecosystems, habitats, and major habitat types.)

In creating this map WWF and its partners firstlooked at which regions support the greatest totalspecies diversity. Areas such as tropical rain forestsin South America and the barrier reefs of Costa Rica,Belize, and Australia support an enormous numberof species. In fact, tropical rain forests as a wholeoccupy less than seven percent of the Earth's totalland mass but may contain more than half thespecies on the planet. (See page 264 for more abouthow biodiversity is distributed on the planet.)

But numbers of species are just one measureof biodiversity. Scientists also gave a high priorityto areas that house endemic speciesthose foundnowhere else on Earth. Examples of endemic speciesinclude the lemurs of Madagascar, the snail kites ofthe Florida Everglades, and the Cape sunbirds ofSouth Africa.

The scientists working on WWF's map alsoassessed several other factors, including areas thatare essential to migrations, breeding, and other

natural phenomena, those areas that are facingsevere threats, and those areas that are most likelyto be protected.

Finally, using GIS layering, the scientists createda finished map that conservationists can use tomake decisions about how to protect biodiversityworldwide. In this part of the activity, studentsplay a game and use the map to learn moreabout some of the amazing plants and animalsthat live in different ecoregions around the world.

1. Discuss ways to protect species.Ask your students if they have any ideas about whatscientists do to protect threatened plants andanimals. After students give a few suggestions (e.g.,enforcing the Endangered Species Act, runningcaptive breeding programs, protecting wildlifehabitats as parks and wildlife refuges), explain thatmost scientists today believe that the most effectiveway to protect species is to protect the places wherethey live. That means protecting forests, lakes,deserts, coasts, and other types of habitat so thatthe greatest number of species and ecologicalprocesses are protected.

Show your students the Global 200 map you'veposted (or the one on page 122 in the StudentBook) and explain that it shows some of the mostimportant and threatened ecoregions around theworld. (See introduction at the left for more aboutthe process.) Describe ecoregions according to theinformation in the box "Talk the Talk" (page 256).You might want to give examples to the studentsto explain the difference between major habitattypes, or biomes, and ecoregions. Explain that inthis activity they'll find out more about theseamazingand in many cases, threatenedplaces.

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Windows on the Wild: Biodiversity Basics

Mapping Biodiversity-23What's the Status of Biodiversity?

A PowerfulConservation ToolMaps are a great way to make complexdata easier to understand and analyze.Conservation biologists use maps to showland forms, fluctuations in humanpopulations, patterns of ecologicalchange, species' ranges, and many otherecological phenomena. And in the lasttwo decades maps have become evenmore valuable thanks to a computertechnology called GeographicInformation Systems, or GIS.

With GIS, scientists make one map on thecomputer for each batch of data theycollect. For example, they can create amap showing all of the bodies of water inan area, the location of every nesting siteof a rare bird species, or the location ofevery surrounding village. Then GIS allowsthe scientists to combine the differentmap layers into a single image so theycan analyze how the different pieces ofdata relate to one another.

One of the most important applicationsof GIS for conservation biologists issomething called gap analysis. Afterscientists have identified areas especiallyhigh in biodiversity, or areas wherespecies or ecological processes are highlythreatened, they have to decide where tofocus their protection efforts. Using GIS,they can determine which areas arealready protected and where there aregaps in protection.

World Wildlife Fund

2. Pass out "Ecoregion Species Cards."In this activity, there are 60 "Ecoregion Species Cards,"which represent 20 ecoregions. This demonstration willbe done in rounds to cover all 60 species. To determinehow many ecoregions will be explored in each round,count the number of students in your group and divideby three. The number you come up with is the numberof ecoregions your group will cover in each round ofthis activity. If you have 30 students, for example, youwill select the ecoregion species cards for 10 ecoregions.Then scramble and pass out the 30 cards (there are 3species for each ecoregion)-1 to each student. (Tolearn which species live in which ecoregions, seepages 260-261.)

Explain to the class that each of the cards depictsone species of three that live together in a specificecoregion. The students' goal is to find the other twomembers of their ecoregion using the information ontheir card. Clues as to the identity of one or both ofthe ecoregion partners are given within each species'description. Once the students have located their twoteammates they should identify the ecoregion that allthree organisms belong to.

Each species card includes information on thenatural history of the animal or plant along with itscommon name and scientific name. Explain to thestudents that scientific names are used to distinguishone species from another, and that no two specieshave the same scientific name. The first word of thescientific name tells which genus the animal or plantbelongs to. The second word is the species name. In the"Ecoregion Species Cards," some of the plants andanimals represented include more than one species. Inthese cases, instead of stating a species name, we'velisted the genus followed by "spp.," indicating that theanimal or plant represents numerous species. (For moreinformation on scientific names, see page 110 in"Sizing Up Species.")

3. lifiatch organisms with ecoregions.After the students have located their partners, ask themto tape their three species cards to a piece of paper andwrite the name of their ecoregion on the paper. Askthem to post their paper next to the map and linkthe ecoregion to its location on the map with a lengthof string. Explain that the names of the ecoregions arelisted by habitat type at the bottom of the map. Eachhabitat type has a different color that corresponds toshaded areas on the map.

As each group finishes (or if others are waitingfor their turn), hand the students an "Ecoregion at-a-Glance" worksheet (on page 121 in the StudentBook) to fill out on their own. When all the groupshave finished posting their species cards, pass outthe next round of cards and repeat the process. Ifnecessary, run a third round to cover all 20ecoregions.

4. Give presentations.When all of the ecoregion cards have been posted,have the students do a brief presentation on theirecoregion(s) to the rest of the class. To expedite thisprocess, you might have a spokesperson from eachgroup come to the front of the room, point out andname the ecoregion, and give a few interesting bitsof information about it. The "Ecoregion at-a-Glance"worksheet should help the students pick out andorganize the information for their presentation.

5. Decipher secret messages.Have the students form seven groups. Distributecopies of the secret message and bonus questioncards to each group. Explain that, for someecoregions, letters in the text of the species cardsare boldfaced and underlined. To find the answers tothe secret message questions, the students must firstlocate these letters in each ecoregion mentioned intheir secret message cards. Then by unscrambling theletters they'll come up with the answer. The bonusquestion uses all the boldfaced and underlinedletters on the species cards.

For example, the first secret message card posesthe question: "The island of Kauai (part of the PacificOcean's Hawaiian Island chain), has more of thisthan any other place on earth." To find the answer,students will need to search the "Ecoregion SpeciesCards" from the Namib Desert, the ScandanavianAlpine Tundra, the Klamath-Siskiyou ConiferousForests, and the Southwest Australian Shrub landsand Woodlands for boldfaced, underlined letters.The letters found on these cards are a, i, n, and r andthese letters can be rearranged to find the answer tothe question: "rain." (For answers see pages 260-261.)

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23-Mapping BiodiversityWhat's the Status of Biodiversity?

6. Discuss the importance ofecoregionall mapping.

After students have completed the mapping activity,review the purpose of the map and why it's a usefulconservation tool. Ask the group to think about howthis type of map is different from other mapsthey've seen. (The concept of using ecoregions asthe basis for conservation planning is fairly new.)Today many scientists believe that it's more effectiveto conserve ecoregions than to focus on protectingindividual species or small patches of habitat, andthat by conserving the diversity and richness ofecoregions we can protect more species andimportant ecological processes.

Explain that WWF and many other conservationorganizations are working together to protectbiodiversity by using an ecoregional approach.They're looking at protecting marine and freshwaterecoregions as well as terrestrial ecoregions. You canask the students to think about the types of threatsthat these areas are facing and how maps like thiscan help the public better understand conservationissues. (Many ecoregions are threatened by pollution,global climate change, development from housing,road building, farming, and other human activities,as well as an overall lack of habitat protection. Mapslike the Global 200 show that there are importantecoregions all around the world and that many arethreatened and vulnerable. They also show thatmarine, freshwater, and terrestrial ecoregions areall important and that many areas are in trouble.)

ro'irrt Rirki4Wuropoea melanolaucal

Wild giant pandas live only In theCentral/Southwest China TemperateForests. Among their favorite foodsare the stems and leaves offountain bamboo.

Windows on the Wild /BIODIVERSITY BASICS

sample ecoregion card

Windows on the Wild: Biodiversity Basics

Mapping Biodiversity-23What's the Status of Biodiversity?

TALK THE TALKPeeffry;Cottr of Eco req;ons,Es;otrICS anal Ha6;tafrBefore starting the game in Part I, you mightwant to help your students learn the "lingo" thatconservation biologists use to describe naturalareas. The two easiest-to-confuse terms areecoregion and biome (or major habitat type).But many people also get confused when they tryto explain the difference between habitats andecoregions. Here are definitions and examplesof all three words.

E.kshic (Maio- haL;tat Type)Biomes, which are also called major habitat types,are large areas characterized by the types ofplants that dominate the area. For example,temperate coniferous forests, and savannas andgrasslands are biomes. Coniferous forests aredominated by conifers (trees with needles), andsavannas and grasslands are dominated bygrasses and small shrubs.

ECOV08;01

Ecoregions are geographically distinct areas thatare characterized by the types of communitiesthat live there. Areas that make up ecoregions

Biome (Major Habitat Type)Ter lath edh;feNuf ratat

World Wildlife Fund

have similar plant and animal species and similarenvironmental conditions such as climate, terrain,altitude, and soil type. In the example providedbelow, the Klamath-Siskiyou Coniferous Forest inthe Pacific Northwest is one ecoregion in thetemperate coniferous forest biome. But it has acertain set of plants and animals and certainenvironmental conditions that separate it fromother temperate coniferous forest ecoregions inother parts of the world. The tallgrass prairie ofthe Midwest is an example of an ecoregion in thetemperate grasslands and savannas. It has acertain set of plants, animals, and environmentalconditions that make it unique within thegrasslands biome.

hatAatHabitat refers to a place that provides whatever aspecies needs to survive, such as food, water, andliving space. "Black bear habitat" and "sagebrushhabitat" mean places that support those specificorganisms. There are many different types ofhabitats within ecoregions and biomes.

Note: See the background information on page 28for more on these and other ecological terms.

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ECOREGION ATAGLANCE

Name of Ecoregion:

Location:

Three or more species that live in this ecoregion:

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Eil Mapping Biodiversity

Three interesting facts about this

ecoregion or these species:

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Windows on the Wild: Biodiversity Basics World Wildlife Fund

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This hoofed mammal is related to giraffes.But it's so elusive that it wasn't named byscientists until the early 1900s. The okapi'sfront half is rich brown, and its rump andhind legs are striped likea zebra. This coloring helps it staycamouflaged inthe SouthernCongo BasinForests of cen-tral Africa.

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SAlorkio Morr cyIsa-LAWN-gol (Cercopithecus salongo)

This Old World monkey lives in thethicket of the moist broadleaf forestof central Africa. These monkeysspend a majority of their time onthe ground foraging for fruits,leaves, and plant shoots.

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Bonobos, or "pygmy chimps,"live deep in the forest,alongside suchanimals asokapis and for-estelephants.

Windows on the WildBIODIVERSITY BASICS

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[BAY-o-batd (Adansonia grandidieri)

If you walked in the Madagascar DryForests, you'd be sure to see these tall,swollen trees. Like the rest of the plants inthis region, baobabs have to survive a longand hot dry season. One way they do thisis by having huge water-filled trunks,earning them the name of "bottle trees."Local people may tap a hole in the trunkof a baobab toobtain waterfor them-selves or theirlivestock.


Sic vantia[VAN-ga] (Falculea palliata)

This beautiful black and white bird usesits long, curved bill to hook insects out oftheir holes. You might see one perched onthe trunk of a giant baobab tree- search-ing for a juicy snack beneath a piece ofbark.

Windows on the WildBIODIVERSITY BASICS /

Monarch butterflies andimperial woodpeckersshare their forests with aplant called wild maize.This wild grass is closelyrelated to one of the world'smost important food crops:corn. That means thatgenes from wild maizemay be used inthe future toprotect domesticatedcorn from diseasesand to help it adaptmore easily to harshenvironmental conditions.


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ParltliCV el1at1dt<341[ka-MEE-lee-on] (Chameleo pardalis)

Underneath giant baobabs grow scrubbybushes and trees where these chameleonshunt for insects. Panther chameleons arepatient and observant hunters, with eyesthat can swing fully in their sockets and lookin two directions at once. As one of thesechameleons slowly approaches its prey, itsways back and forth like a piece of vegeta-tion moving in the wind. When the lizard isclose enough, its sticky-tipped tongue flash-es out and nabs the meal, bringing it back tothe chameleon's mouth in a fraction of asecond.

\ 7Windows on the WildBIODIVERSITY BASICS'

ar

Maybe you've heard of birds flying southfor winter, but what about insects? In thefall, thousands of these brilliant black andorange insects fly from all parts of theeastern United States and Canada to theMexican Pine-Oak Forests. Some mon-archstravel as many as 3,000 miles! Then theyspend the winter together injust a few isolated groves of trees.


If you are very lucky,you may see thisextremely threat-enedwoodpecker.

First you needto go to the pinetrees where mostmonarch butterfliesin North Americaspend their winters.Then look highin the brancheswhere the imperialwoodpecker oftenperches.

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Wotan Azalea(a-ZAY-lee-uh) (Rhododendron occidentale)

Delicate pink flowers decorate thewestern azalea. This plant grows inthe shade of the Klamath-SiskiyouConiferous Forests, which have thehighest diversity of needle-leafedtrees in the world. While walkingin these forests, you mightsee thelow-hanging branchesof the Brewer'sspruce tree ornotice thesweet smell ofthe ponderosapine.


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In open bogs surrounded by bushes ofwestern azaleas, you may find theseplants. They form large tubesthat look like a giant hoodedcobra with a forked tongue.Insects that crawl insidethe hood to explore aretrapped by bristles andfall into a pool of liquidwhere they are digest-edby the plant.


Alf 1/014 Moittitarlf SAIANArkict-[SIS-ka-you] (Plethodon stormi)

If you were lookingfor these amphibians,you might find themcrawling in a bog wherecobra lilies grow. Or youmight find them hid-ing in the coolpine needlesand other treedebris underneath awestern azalea.

Windows on the Wild/BIODIVERSITY BASICS

The fountain bamboo is a giant grass thatgrows in mountain forests. Some groves offountain bamboo bloom only once every100 years. And after they flower, theyquickly die. If thishappens over alarge area, giantpandas and otheranimals that eatbamboo may haveto travel great dis-tances to findenough food tosurvive.


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The fruits and seeds of variousplants are the food of the goldenpheasant. This rare bird lives inthe same mixed forests whereyou might find a giant panda.

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Wild giant pandas live only in theCentral/Southwest China TemperateForests. Among their favorite foodsare the stems and leaves offountain bamboo.

Windows on the Wild 7BIODIVERSITY BASICS /

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These creatures are small but fierce! Theyhunt small mammals in the cold forests ofSiberian spruce that cover northern Asia.

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During the day, long-eared owls roostin the high branches of trees such asSiberian spruce. Their patchybrown color helps themblend in with their sur-roundings. At night, theyhunt for rats, mice,rabbits, and othersmallmammals that share theircold forest home.


During the long, dark winter of theArctic region, lemmings make tunnelsunder the snow as they search for grass-es, shrubs, mosses, and other food. Butevery few years, these rodents experiencea populationexplosion, and large groups of them moveabove ground into open fields and valleys,which they share with large herds of rein-deer. Contrary to popular belief, the lem-mings do not migrate to the sea and com-mit suicide, although most of those thatwander into the open are eaten by preda-tors.

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The Siberianspruce is one ofthe common treesfound in thelargest unbrokenwilderness in theworld: the Centraland EasternSiberian BorealForests and Taiga.


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The reindeer (or caribou) is the only deerin which both sexes have antlers. Duringthe long days of summer, they feed ongrass and other plants in the tundra. Inthe winter, they must scrape away snow toexpose dry lichens, which can endure inthe intense cold. In the ScandinavianAlpine Tundra and Taiga,local people such asthe Sami depend onreindeer for meat,milk, and clothing.

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The arctic fox has fur-covered feet andsmall, rounded ears to reduce heat loss inthe cold tundra. Arctic foxes don't hiber-nate in winter. To trackdown a meal when timesare lean, theymay listen for thesounds of lem-mings and othersmall mammalsscrambling underthe snow.

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As you wade through a sea of tall grass,you may hear the booming call of the malegreater prairie chicken. The male birdsperform spectacular courtship displays-inflating large pouches on their necks,stamping their feet, and fanning their tailfeathers to attract females. They sharetheir homewith a variety of plants andanimals, fromthe tiny prairiedog-tooth violetto the enor-mous bison.


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PralVlie 1.744-30til fold(Erythronium mesochoreum)

The small white flowers of the prairie dog-tooth violet are among the first signs ofspring in the vast Tallgrass Prairies of thecentral United States.


Aryier;can(Bison bison)

Just 200 years ago there were millions ofbison roaming the grasslands of NorthAmerica. By the beginning of the 20thcentury, they were almost extinct. Nowbison are increasing, thanks to protectionefforts. But most of their vast grasslandhome has become agri-cultural land. Greaterprairie chickens,prairie dogs,wolves, andrattlesnakesare a few ofthe animals thatlive side by side withthe bison in the wild.

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The one-hornedrhinocerosgrazes infields ofgrass thatgrows over20 feet tall!The rhinos'hides are madeof thick plates of skinwith deep folds that resemble asuit of armor. The thick hides protectthe rhinos from the largest predators oftheir habitat- tigers. Other animalsthat share these grasslands includeAsian elephants, chital, and Indian bison.


Tiger stripes are more than prettydecoration. The stripes help tigersblend in with light and shadows asthey stalk wary prey, such as chital,in the high grass. Unfortunately,people have hunted these rarecats to near extinctionbecause of theirhandsomecoats andbecause manyother parts oftheir bodies arebelieved tohave medicinalvalue.


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This deer has a rich brown coat speckledwith white spots, which help to camouflage itin the high grass of the Terai-Duar Savannasand Grasslands of central Asia. It has anacute sense of hearing andwill dash away at the slightest hintthat its main preda-tor, the tiger,is nearby.


Strifl kat,(Rhostrhamus sociabilis)

In order to make room for houses, shop-ping centers, and farms, people havedrained the water from the snail kite'shabitat. Unfortunately, this change hasdrastically reduced populations of thebird's main food source: apple snails.


(Liguus fasciatus)

Years ago, a visitor to the EvergladesFlooded Grasslands might have foundhundreds, or even thousands, of shellsbelonging to the Florida tree snail. But asthe Everglades have been drained forhousing developments and agriculture,Florida tree snails and many other kindsof snails (such as theapple snail) are becom-ing rare. And now theanimals that depend onthe snails for food are indanger of becomingextinct.

Windows on the Wild //BIODIVERSITY BASICS

These condors are the largest flying birdson Earth- soaring at altitudes of up to20,000 feet. They feast on the dead car-casses of vicuña, llama, alpaca, and otherlarge grazing animals that live in the cold

mountain heights.


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Clumps of red bay trees rise like islands inthe sea of sawgrass that covers their flood-ed homes. Almost two dozen differentspecies of tree snails,including the Floridatree snail, live and feedon red bays. But thesnails don't eat thetrees' leaves.Instead, they nib-ble on algae thatgrow on thered bays'bark.


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The fuzzy grayleaves of thefrailejOn are per-fectly adapted tothe high altitudesof the NorthAndean Paramo.The leaves resist the .

harsh ultraviolet rays ofthe sun and can toleratethe region's freezingnights. Look up and youmay see an Andean condorsoaring near the tops of theglacier-covered peaksthat loom in the distance.

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The silky cinnamon-colored fur of thevicuña was so highly valued in ancienttimes that only the royal people of theInca (an empire that flourished in the1500s) were allowed touse it. These animalsroam the high moun-tains, wanderingamong the fuzzy fraile-jon and other plants.The small vicuña isrelated to domesticat-ed llamas and alpacas,animals important tolocal people for theirmeat and wool.


These beetles feed on dead animal andplant material that collects in theirrugged desert home. Though there isalmost no rain, these beetles have devel-oped ways to obtain water from the fogthat commonly settles around the dunes.Some tip their abdomens upright so thatthe condensation on their backs runs intotheir mouths. Others dig trenches to col-lect fog water on the ground. During theheat of the day, these beetles may seekshelter underneath the sand or inthe shade of awelwitschia plant.

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This unusual plant produces only twoleaves, which can grow for the entire lifeof the plant. And that can be more than1,500 years! The welwitschia plant growsin the extreme conditions of the Namiband Karoo Deserts and Shrublands ofsouthern Africa, where it may not rain formore than five years in a row.


Sand-diving lizards hunt for darkling bee-tles, spiders, scorpions, and other smallanimals that scuttle across the desert.When things get hot, the lizards diveunder the sand or seek out the shade ofplants, such as the welwitschia. In doingso, they help reduce water loss from theirbodies.

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Nuthipat[NUM-bat] (Myrmecobius fasciatus)

With its elegant striped coat, the numbatis one of the most beautiful marsupials inthe world. Unlike most marsupials, num-bats are active during the day. They usetheir thick claws to open termite nests,lapping up theinsects with theirlong tongues. Someof their mainpredators in thewild are huntingbirds such aslittle eagles andbrown goshawks.


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As numbats nab termites with their longtongues, meat-eating sundew plants areusing their own sticky trick to catch ameal. Passing insects are attracted to thepink flowers on these lovely plants. Butwhen they land on the leaves, they getstuck! The plant's dew is a super stickysubstance. The globs of"glue" are on the endsof hairs that slowlycurl around theinsect and digest it.In the process, theplant absorbs valu-able nutrients.

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Ftolvh[GOSS-hawk] (Accipiter fasciatus)

The brown goshawk makes its home in theSouthwest Australian Shrublands andWoodlands. There the bird usesits sharp eyes to hunt down honeypossums, numbats, and othersmall mammals.

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It has a beak and webbed feet, but it isn't abird! The platypus is actually a "duck-billed," egg-laying mammal that lives inEastern Australian Rivers and Streams.The platypus pokes around the bottom ofthe river with its flexible bill to find thesmall animals it eats. But it keeps its eyes,ears, and nostrils closed- using only touchreceptors to find its way under water.

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During the day, the rare freckled duckhides out in dense vegetation to avoid theMurray cod and other predators. Only atnight does it venture out into shallowwaters to feed on planktonand algae. With its head below thesurface, it may encounter otherwater creatures, such as theplatypus, that share therivers it calls home.


This freshwater dolphin spends its daysavoiding fishing nets and looking for food.It feeds on fish that eat fruit that dropsinto the water from surrounding trees.Because of its pink color, thisdolphin may be the source of many leg-ends in the Amazon that tell ofan animal that can change from human todolphin.


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Swimming in the same waters as theplatypus is this enormous and incrediblyaggressive fish. Weighing about 255pounds, the Murray cod preys onalmost anything in its path,including the rare freckledduck, other waterfowl,and rats.

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Arawaro rfs[arr-a-WA-na] (Osteoglossum bicirrhosum)

Arawanas live in the Varzea and IgapcSFreshwater Ecosystem andcan grow to be about three feet long.They have been known to jump severalfeet out of the water to catch small birdsfor food! They also feed on insects thatland on the surfaceof the water. Arawanas have arough tongue covered with sharp,tooth-like projections that trapfood up against the roofof their mouths.

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Black eafthah(KAY-man] (Melanosuchus niger)

If you visit the Amazon, watch out fora head sticking out of the water withyellow or white bands on the lower jaw.Black caimans are crocodilians that feed onfish that swim in the freshwater rivers ofthe Amazon Basin. But asthey get older, they may come ashoreto feed on rodents, domestic animals, andsometimes even humans.

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This fish, known as the golomyanka, can befound swimming in the icy waters of LakeBaikal. This transparent fish makes a greatmeal for hungry nerpa seals. Thegolomyanka also shares its harsh lakehome with tiny filter-feeding crayfish.


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Napa[NER-pa](Phoca sibirica)

It is a mystery how this seal, known as thenerpa, made its way to Lake Baikal- whichis hundreds of miles from any sea orocean! The only freshwater seal in theworld, the nerpa's warm pelts and fat havemade it a favorite of hunters for thou-sands of years.


Known as caretakers of their icylake home, these tiny crayfishdevour everything that threatensto pollute their cold, watery habitat,including dead fish and insects. Theyensure that their golomyanka and nerpaneighbors have a clean home.

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This long-necked wading birdstruts its stuff through the shal-low wetland waters of theDanube River Delta. Notafraid of humanhustle and bustle,white storksoften nest inthe cultivated coun-trysideof easternEurope.


CovtcilIce(Crex crex)

"Creck creck" is the sound of this shy wet-land bird- no doubt the reason for its sci-entific name. The rasping cry is usuallyheard only after dark or at dawn. Thecorncrake shares its watery home withmany other birds, including two species ofstork.


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Unlike its white counterpart, thiswetland stork avoids human activityby nesting away from the populatedEuropean country-side. Wading withits long bill par-tially openbeneath thewater,it feedsearly- beforethe hoarse voiceof the corncrakeis heard acrossthe delta.


14/ 40 Rail' tar(Triaenodon obesus)

This timidshark lurks incaves orbeneath rockyreef shelves. Itlives in the warmand salty Red SeaMarineEcosystems- ahome to uniquecoral species.The shark getsits name from thewhite outline onthe tips of its fins.

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ci;aryt darn(Tridacna gigas)

Like its white-tipped neighbor and the seain which it lives, the giant clam is knownfor its coloring. Sparkling blues and greenson the clam's mantle (the membranebetween the body and the shell) actuallyresult from colorful algae that live in theexposed tissue. These huge mollusks cansometimes live for 50 years and grow tobeseveral hundred pounds. Theyshare thereef waterswith green tur-tles.

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Known as the "sea parrot," thisunusual bird uses its wings to power itspenguin-like body through the waters ofIcelandic and Celtic Marine Ecosystems.As they dive down to 150 feet, thesepuffins use theirfeetto steer.They can carryas many as 28small fish intheir beaksat once!

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rrttal TURK(Chelonia mydas)

Grazing on sea grasses and algae of thereef, green turtles are known as thecattle of the warm seas. They normallylive in reef waters alongside whitetip reefsharks and giant clams. But they may alsomigrate through hundreds of miles ofopen ocean to lay their eggs.


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When sailors in the 1700s came home car-rying samples of the narwhal's spiralingtusk, people thought the tusks were proofthat unicorns existed. A narwhal's tusk isstrange, but it's really nothing more than amodified tooth. Malenarwhals may use their tusks as a weaponin their fights for female attention. Thedeep-diving puffinand gray seal may be nearby, butthey'll be minding their ownbusiness.

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Gray and brown fur helps keep theseseals warm in their icy home waters. Theymay snack on some of the same fish thatpuffins in the area eat. Large groups ofseals may gather on secluded beaches,but individuals keep their distance. Theydon't have a weapon anything like theirnarwhal neighbors do, butthey still have atendency to getinto fights withother seals!

Polar ..cmar-(Ursus maritimus)

Lying on their backs with their feet in theair, these powerful carnivores often napon polar ice after a hunt. Polar bearsaren't picky eaters- if there are no liveseals in the area, the carcass of a bow-head whale or a walrus will do for dinner!


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The polar region around the Bering andBeaufort Seas is home to herds of thesehighly social creatures. Walruses havelong tusks that are used in dominancedisplays and sometimes as weapons.Between the tusks is a snout full of sen-sitive whiskers that help the walruslocate a meal in murky waters.


1;0 IVIICA Whale[B0Ehead)(Balaena mysticetus)

The heads of these whales make up one-third of their total length. And their arch-ing jaws give them their 'bowed' shape.Bowhead whales were at one time endan-gered because of commercial whaling,and their numbers remain low. Still, polarbears and walruses may see a femalebowhead and her calf swimming offshore,or they may encounter a three-ton car-cass washed up on the beach.


SECRET MESSAGE CARDS El Mapping Biodiversity

The island of Kauai (part of the Pacific Ocean'sHawaiian Island chain) has more of this thanany other place on Earth.

To find the answer, look in the Namib Desert, theScandinavian Alpine Tundra, the Klamath-SiskiyouConiferous Forests, and the Southwest AustralianShrub lands and Woodlands.

In the deciduous forests of the eastern UnitedStates, the elimination of large predators and theincrease of edge habitat has led to a dramaticincrease in the population of these animals.

To find the answer, look in the Madagascar Dry Forests, the

Tallgrass Prairies of the United States, the Mexican Pine-Oak

Forests, and the Central and Eastern Siberian Boreal Forests.

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of one of these can lead to vast amounts ofpollution as chemicals and sediments wash intonearby watersheds.

To find the answer, look in the North Andean Paramo,the Southern Congo Basin Forests, the Klamath-SiskiyouConiferous Forests, and the Everglades FloodedGrasslands.

A portion of soil the same size as this objectmight contain millions of microorganisms,including fungi, bacteria, and tiny animals.

To find the answer, look in the Klamath-Siskiyou ConiferousForests, the Madagascar Dry Forests, the Southern CongoBasin Forests, and the Mexican Pine-Oak Forests.

World Wildlife Fund

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This phenomenon is created by the gravitationalpull of the sun and moon on planet Earth and isan important force that constantly changes theshape of the land's surface.

To find the answer, go to the Mexican Pine-OakForests, the Central/Southwest China TemperateForests, the Klamath-Siskiyou Coniferous Forests,and the Central and Eastern Siberian Boreal Forests.

In the summer, you may find one of thesenormally seafaring birds hundreds of miles fromthe ocean, breeding in vast colonies in placessuch as the high plateaus of Tibet in central Asia.

To find the answer, head to the ScandinavianAlpine Tundra, the North Andean Paramo, theCentral/Southwest China Temperate Forests, and theSouthwest Australian Shrub lands and Woodlands.

When people do this to wetlands to build housesI I or create agricultural land, many valuable services I

the wetlands provide (such as controlling floods1 and serving as a nursery for sea life) are lost.

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onus. uestionThis habitat type holds 20 percent of the Earth'splant species, and every ecoregion within it is incritical danger of becoming extinct. What is it?(The answer uses all the letters highlighted in theEcoregion Species Cards.)

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Does this habitat type exist in the United States? If so, where?

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What's the Status of Biodiversity?

U.S. Department of EducationOffice of Educational Research and Improvement (OERI)

National Library of Education (NLE)Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC)

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Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made · freshwater, and marine ecoregions. Ecoregions are broad habitat types that are tied to specific geographic regions