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A City in Nature, Singapore | JD WILD PRODUCTIONS

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David Attenborough continues to explore wildlife in urban Singapore. From civets taking up residence in roof cavities to pythons hunting in drains, the surprising and fascinating stories of the city's wild is exposed.

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David Attenborough continues to explore wildlife in urban Singapore. From civets taking up residence in roof cavities to pythons hunting in drains, the surprising and fascinating stories of the city's wild is exposed.

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Singapore's Hidden Wildlife | Wild City | Full Episode

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Can wildlife adapt to climate change? - Erin Eastwood

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Living Things Change: Crash Course Kids #41.1

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Adaptations at Animal Wonders - Field Trip

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Primary Science Lesson Idea: Adaptation | Tigtag

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The Death Of Bees Explained – Parasites, Poison and Humans

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The Death Of Bees Explained – Parasites, Poison and Humans

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The Death Of Bees Explained – Parasites, Poison and Humans

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What If Bees Went EXTINCT? | Earth Unplugged

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Wolves of Yellowstone On The Hunt | National Geographic

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"The Day They Parachuted Cats On Borneo"

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"The Day They Parachuted Cats On Borneo"

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A Reading of "The Day They Parachuted Cats On Borneo"

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Systems thinking: a cautionary tale (cats in Borneo)

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Systems thinking: a cautionary tale (cats in Borneo)

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Systems thinking: a cautionary tale (cats in Borneo)

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Animals Arts and Literature Earth and Geography History Life Processes Living Things (Other) Philosophy and Religion Plants Science and Mathematics Society Sports and Recreation Technology

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Food Webs and Energy Pyramids: Bedrocks of Biodiversity

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Food Webs and Energy Pyramids: Bedrocks of Biodiversity

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Food Webs and Energy Pyramids: Bedrocks of Biodiversity

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Peter Wilf

Why do plants' leaves shrink the further from the equator they grow? It may all be to do with maintaining a comfortable temperature.

Leaves vary greatly in size, from less than 1 square millimetre to almost 1 square metre. Large-leaved plants like bananas and palms tend to live in the tropics, while small-leaved plants like heather and clover are found closer to the poles.

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Botanists first noticed this latitude trend in the 19th century, but nobody has convincingly explained it. One idea is that leaf size is important for preventing overheating. But large leaves absorb more of the sun's heat and get hotter than small ones, suggesting they should be found in cold regions, not the tropics.

To solve this puzzle, Ian Wright at Macquarie University in Sydney and his colleagues studied the leaves of 7670 plant species found at different latitudes. The team looked at the relationship between leaf size and various aspects of climate, including day and night temperatures, rainfall and humidity.

They found that avoiding night-time freezing is just as important for plants as avoiding daytime heat stress.

Not too hot, not too cold

Wright and his team showed that this balancing act depends on two main factors. The first is how much water the leaf has available to cool itself down via transpiration - a process similar to sweating. The second is the boundary layer: a pocket of still air that surrounds each leaf and acts as an insulator.

Large leaves have thicker boundary layers, making them more susceptible to extremes of temperature. The extra insulation makes it harder for the leaf to extract heat from the surroundings at night.

It is this that leads to large leaves being less favoured at high latitudes, says Wright. Their thick boundary layers make it hard to stay warm during cold nights, increasing the risk of frost damage.

Large leaves are also unfavourable in hot desert-like climates, because their thick boundary layers make them overheat during the day.

But large leaves can cope in hot, wet, tropical climates because they counteract the daytime heat-trapping effect using transpiration - something desert plants cannot do because they cannot afford to lose that much water.

Balancing act

"It's basically a trade-off between how much they heat up and how much water they have available to cool themselves down," says Wright. "This new knowledge helps us to understand a fundamental aspect of how plants do business."

Andrew Lowe at the University of Adelaide in Australia says it's a "nice explanation".

It may also help to predict how climate change is likely to alter plant distribution, Lowe says. "For example, if a particular region becomes warmer and drier, you may see smaller-leaf species replacing larger-leaf species because they're better adapted to the new climatic conditions."

Lowe has previously shown that the leaves of the Australian shrub Dodonaea viscosa have narrowed by 2 millimetres, or 40 per cent, over the last century, possibly in response to rising temperatures. "It seems that leaves are already changing," he says.

Journal reference: Science, DOI: 10.1126/science.aal4760

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We may finally understand why tropical plants have huge leaves

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Why do plants' leaves shrink the further from the equator they grow? It may all be to do with maintaining a comfortable temperature. Leaves vary greatly in size, from less than 1 square millimetre to almost 1 square metre.

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Predator or prey, consumer or producer? How about all of the above? Tim and Moby talk about how the food chain connects every species.

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Conservatory of flowers at gardens of golden gate park

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Conservatory of flowers at gardens of golden gate park

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Conservatory of Flowers at Gardens of Golden Gate Park

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Visit the historic Conservatory of Flowers in Golden Gate Park. Explore a world of rare and exotic plants in North America's oldest wood-and-glass conservatory.

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Here Comes the Sun: Crash Course Kids #5.1

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How Are Plants Adapted To The Tropical Rainforest?

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How Are Plants Adapted To The Tropical Rainforest?

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A dense tropical rainforest in Latin America.

Tropical rainforests occur in places with a tropical climate where there is no dry season. Hot and humid weather with high rainfall throughout the year characterize such climate. True rainforests are found up to 10 degrees of latitude on either side of the equator. Tropical rainforests have the greatest biodiversity of all other ecosystems on the planet as both sunshine and water are available in plenty in such forests. However, due to the dense growth of plants, there is fierce competition for survival in such habitats. As such, plants growing here have special adaptations that allow them to grow and thrive in the tropical rainforest. These specializations have been mentioned below.

8. Buttress Roots -

Tropical rainforest plants with a shallow rooted tree are often equipped with buttress roots. These are large, wide roots spreading out on all sides of the tree. Such trees are found in rainforests with poor nutrient content in the soil. Roots grow only for short distances below the ground to tap nutrients from the thin layer of topsoil where most of the nutrients are concentrated. As such, a single vertical root system would not support the growth of the tree. Buttress roots share the weight of the tree and such roots from nearby trees might also intertwine creating an intricate mesh that helps support several trees. The widely spread roots also cover a wider area for absorbing nutrients. Ceiba pentandra of Vieques, Puerto Rico, has buttress roots.

7. Lianas -

Lianas are vines that grow in most of the tropical rainforests of the world. These plants begin their life on the forest floor but depend on the support of other plants for growth and survival. Lianas have thick, woody stems that attach to the tendrils or sucker roots of other plants as they begin their life as young saplings and grow along with them. Lianas can also wrap or wind around the trunks of trees and reach greater heights. The ability of lianas to use other trees as support allows these plants to reach the forest canopy where they can obtain the necessary sunlight needed for their survival. Near the top, lianas usually spread onto other trees or intertwine with each other to create a kind of network of vines. Such a network allows arboreal animals to move from one tree to another easily. Lianas also protect the shallow-rooted top-heavy trees from falling due to strong winds. However, since lianas compete with other trees for sunlight, water, and soil, they reduce the lifespan of trees surrounding them. Examples of lianas are rattan palms, philodendron, etc. Lianas are used to make ropes, baskets, furniture, etc.

6. Epiphyte -

An epiphyte is an organism that grows on the surface of a plant. In tropical rainforests, many plants live as epiphytes to receive the necessary sunlight and moisture to complete their life cycle. These plants are attached to their hosts high in the canopy so that they can compete with other plants for water tapped from rain, fog, dew, or mist. They also obtain the necessary sunlight for photosynthesis due to their proximity to the canopy. Epiphytic plants sometimes derive nutrients from their host plant by dinitrogen fixation, decomposition or leaching. Epiphytes also positively affect the microenvironment of their host by creating a cooler and more moist environment around the host. They also help in reducing water loss by the host through evapotranspiration. Orchids, mosses, and bromeliads are the best examples of epiphytic plants.

5. Stilt Roots -

Like buttress roots, stilt roots are another type of adaptation seen in some tropical rainforest trees. Here, aerial adventitious roots grow from the lower portion of the stem towards the ground. When they touch the soil, they root. Stilt roots also provide support to the plant whose main roots are shallow-growing as the lower layers of soil are devoid of nutrients. The stilt roots and the main root together create an extensive root system that spreads horizontally around the plant and provides both support and nutrition to the plant. The banyan tree is an example of plants with stilt roots.

4. Red Leaves -

Young plant saplings in the rainforest often have red new leaves which reflect red light thereby protecting themselves against extreme sunlight. After the leaves develop their photosynthetic machinery, they turn green again and start performing their designated function.

3. Rainforest Trees Have Thin Bark -

Trees in the rainforest usually have thin and smooth bark. Since there is no need to conserve moisture as their habitat is always wet, these trees do not spend energy on developing a thick bark. The smoothness of their bark helps check the tendency of other rainforest plants to grow on them.

2. Rainforest Plants Have Drip Tips -

Incessant rainfall in rainforests is the norm. Hence, leaves of plants growing in such an ecosystem usually have a waxy surface with pointed tips to allow excess rainwater to run-off. Such an adaptation prevents the growth of algae on the leaves which would otherwise block sunlight and reduce the ability of plants to perform photosynthesis.

1. Leaf Angling -

Little sunlight penetrates below the canopy layer in the rainforest due to the dense growth of plants. Thus, leaves on plants growing in tropical rainforests are often arranged at different angles so that they receive enough sunlight to perform photosynthesis effectively.

1. Home

2. Environment

3. How Are Plants Adapted To The Tropical Rainforest?

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How Are Plants Adapted To The Tropical Rainforest?

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Plants of the tropical rainforest have several adaptations that allow them to grow and survive in the dense rainforest. Learn about these amazing adaptations in this article.

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Exploring Ecosystems: Tropical Rainforest Diversity | California Academy of Sciences

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An environment is the combination of all of the physical, chemical, and biological factors acting upon an organism or an ecological community. The interaction of these…

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Ecosystems Episode 1: What is an ecosystem?

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How do human beings affect the environment?

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How do human beings affect the environment?

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Humans affect the environment in positive and negative ways.

Cutting down trees and littering have a negative effect on animals and plants.

Protecting endangered species and cleaning lakes and seas has a positive effect on the environment.

At home you can help the planet by recycling waste and growing plants or vegetables.

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How do human beings affect the environment?

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Humans affect the environment in positive and negative ways. Cutting down trees and littering have a negative effect on animals and plants. Protecting endangered species and cleaning lakes and seas has a positive effect on the environment. At home you can help the planet by recycling waste and growing plants or vegetables.

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Ecosystem Ecology: Links in the Chain - Crash Course Ecology

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Ecosystem Ecology: Links in the Chain - Crash Course Ecology

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Ecosystem Ecology: Links in the Chain - Crash Course Ecology #7

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1995-Present
ELK, the primary prey of wolves in Yellowstone, have decreased in numbers within the park. Other factors such as drought, severe winters, and other large predators have also contributed to the decline in Yellowstone elk. But as wolves returned, the behavior of elk changed; elk became more vigilant and were once again forced to stay on the move. Vulnerable along the rivers and streams, elk now spend more time in denser cover or on higher ground with better vistas for spotting predators. Consumption of vegetation by elk is thus restrained, giving many riparian areas a chance to recover.

ASPENS, willows, cottonwoods, and other vegetation have in many places resumed their natural growth. When their favorite food and building material reappeared, beavers flourished, engineering broad wetlands that attract frogs, swans, and sandhill cranes. Stream banks once picked clear of vegetation and eroded by hooves erupted in wildflowers, which nourished insects, which in turn fed songbirds that nested among the thick willows. The water below now became shaded, deep, cool, and clear-a better habitat for aquatic-born insects and trout.

COYOTE numbers dropped as they once again share the land with wolves. Many coyotes were killed or driven away by wolves, helping to bring about a resurgence in pronghorn. A drop in coyotes leaves more gophers, and other rodents for foxes, raptors, and other mid-level carnivores.

WOLVES, now returned to their original habitat, play a vital role in keeping the world of predator and prey in balance. Once they've eaten their fill, the leftovers from their kills provide food for scavengers, including bald and golden eagles, magpies, coyotes, ravens, and bears.

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Wolves & Our Ecosystem - Living with Wolves

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1995-Present ELK, the primary prey of wolves in Yellowstone, have decreased in numbers within the park. Other factors such as drought, severe winters, and other large predators have also contributed to the decline in Yellowstone elk. But as wolves returned, the behavior of elk changed; elk became more vigilant and were once again forced to stay on the move.

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Gray Wolf - Yellowstone National Park (U.S. National Park Service)

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Wolves in Yellowstone National Park were restored in 1995.

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A natural history event like no other, Wild City will reveal the hidden wild inside the Lion City. Deploying the latest filmmaking techniques and narrated by natural history legend Sir David Attenborough, this two part series will be an awakening for the eyes and the mind. See Singapore like never…

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What happens when the top predator is removed from ecosystem?

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What happens when the top predator is removed from ecosystem?

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Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images

Top predators are the animals that occupy the position at the top of a food web. Examples of top predators include sharks and wolves. Top predators play an important role in maintaining the balance and biodiversity of an ecosystem. If the top predator is removed from the delicate balance of any particular ecosystem, there may be disastrous effects for the other plants and animals that inhabit the environment.

Trophic Cascade

When a top predator is removed from an ecosystem, a series knock-on effects are felt throughout all the levels in a food web, as each level is regulated by the one above it. This is known as a trophic cascade. The results of these trophic cascades can lead to an ecosystem being completely transformed. The impacts trickle down through each level, upsetting the ecological balance by altering numbers of different animal species, until the effects are finally felt by the vegetation.

Plant Life

When a top predator is no longer present, populations of their herbivorous prey begin to boom. Without a top predator to regulate their numbers, these animals put a great deal of pressure on the existing vegetation that they require for food and can destroy large amounts of plant life, such as grasses and trees. This then causes further problems, such as soil erosion and loss of animal habitat. Eventually, humans are also impacted due to the resulting lack of soil fertility and clean water that depend on these plants.

Competition and Biodiversity

Another problem involving the loss of vegetation is the competition that is created between herbivorous species. Competition between species for the remaining plant life is high and weaker species lose out to stronger ones, leading to the potential loss of weaker animals, as well as plant species. Increased competition, therefore, leads to a lack of biodiversity. In contrast, top predators often have varied diets, which means they can pursue a new food source if one is running low, preventing the first source from being eradicated completely. This is one of the ways that top predators are able to maintain biodiversity and the balance of an ecosystem.

Fear Factor

The presence of a top predator also helps to maintain balance in an ecosystem by influencing the behaviour and movements of its prey through the fear of being caught. Animals that are prey to a top predator will move around in order to avoid it. This prevents plants and animals in any particular area of an ecosystem from being over-consumed, preserving food sources and habitats. In the absence of top predators, this regulation disappears, allowing certain areas of vegetation to be destroyed completely.

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What Happens When the Top Predator Is Removed From an Ecosystem?

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Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images Top predators are the animals that occupy the position at the top of a food web. Examples of top predators include sharks and wolves. Top predators play an important role in maintaining the balance and biodiversity of an ecosystem.

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Why is biodiversity so important? - Kim Preshoff

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The mosquitoes in Borneo were terrible. On bad days, the people of Borneo would be covered in mosquito bites.

(Leader - Ask, "And what do you suppose would happen?" Wait for someone to suggest that it would itch and people would scratch / make the bites bleed.)

That's right - those mosquito bites made them itch and scratch like mad. (Leader - Act out scratching and invite the children to do the same.)

The itching made them uncomfortable, but the real problem with the mosquitoes was that they carried a sickness called malaria. This meant that sometimes the people who got bitten by mosquitoes would get really sick or even die.

Scientists from an agency called the World Health Organization wanted to stop the people of Borneo from getting sick and dying from malaria. They decided to do something about those mosquitoes. They sprayed a chemical called DDT all around the villages of Borneo, because they knew that would kill the mosquitoes. It worked. The mosquitoes died and the people stopped catching malaria.

Everything seemed fine, but what the people didn't know at first was that the mosquitoes weren't the only insects that the DDT had killed. Some wasps died, too. These were parasitic wasps whose larvae ate caterpillars. Without the wasps there wasn't balance in the ecosystem. Because they were not there to eat the caterpillars' larvae, the caterpillar population began to grow and grow. More and more caterpillars were born and they were hungry. They ate and they ate and they ate.

The problem was, the people of Borneo lived in houses with thatched roofs made out of grasses. (Leader - Ask, "What do you suppose those caterpillars liked to eat?" When someone suggests the roofs, continue with the story.)

That's right, the caterpillars ate holes in the thatched roofs and soon the roofs began to fall in. The people of Borneo replaced the roofs, but ... (dramatic pause) there was an even bigger problem to deal with.

The wasps weren't the only insects that ate the DDT. Cockroaches and other insects did, too. So, the cockroaches and other insects began to get sick. And these insects were the food for Borneo's small lizards, the geckos. The more cockroaches and other insects the geckos ate, the more DDT got inside the geckos. The geckos started to die, too.

And the geckos of Borneo were eaten by cats. (Leader - Ask, "What do you suppose happened to the cats?" When someone suggests they died, continue the story.)

That's right, the cats began to die. But even worse ... (dramatic pause) the cats were important because they killed rats. When the cats died there wasn't balance in the ecosystem. There were not enough cats to kill the rats. So the rat population of Borneo grew and grew. The rats began to overpopulate. More and more rats were born.

The trouble with rats is that - just like mosquitoes - they often carry serious diseases which people can catch from them. Now the people of Borneo worried that they might have an outbreak of the plague or another illness that could kill lots of people. (Leader - Ask, "What do you suppose they did?" and take a few answers.)

The people of Borneo realized they needed more cats to bring back the balance in their ecosystem. Some were borrowed from neighboring villages but they still needed more. And that is why in 1959 members of the British Royal Air Force flew over Borneo in a helicopter and sent 20 cats in parachutes to the ground. Can you imagine that? Twenty cats in parachutes - all because nature got out of balance.

(Leader - Use the sound instrument to signify that the story has ended.)

Download all of Moral Tales (Word) ( PDF) to edit or print.

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A true story. The mosquitoes in Borneo were terrible. On bad days, the people of Borneo would be covered in mosquito bites. (Leader - Ask, "And what do...

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LibGuides: G5: Biodiversity: Nature Space in Singapore

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What is biodiversity? | Natural History Museum

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The fewer animals we have, the fewer humans we will have.

That's why biodiversity is important. The wide variety of species on Earth, whether they're plants, animals or microscopic organisms, are vital to keep the world's many ecosystems healthy, balanced and thriving -- growing plants we can eat, trees we can shade under, and landscapes to use for everything from vacations to computer screensavers.

In other words, biodiversity ensures natural sustainability for all life on the planet -- think more abundant crops and fresher air, for example. More than 3 billion people depend on marine and coastal biodiversity, while more than 1.6 billion people rely on forests for their livelihoods. The loss of biodiversity affects the lives of more than 1 billion people living in drylands.

For International Day for Biological Diversity on Friday, with this year's theme being "Sustainable Biodiversity for Sustainable Development," United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon explained that biodiversity is "essential for the welfare of current and future generations."

"Protecting ecosystems and ensuring access to ecosystem services by poor and vulnerable groups are essential to eradicating extreme poverty and hunger," Ban said.

He added that biodiversity also plays a big role in the Sustainable Development Goals -- the post-2015 international development targets tackling the world's most pressing issues, to be finalized later this year by the United Nations General Assembly.

It's International Day for Biological Diversity today! See UN SG message http://t.co/3o94xS9V6X #BiodiversityDay pic.twitter.com/Qlk7DG8zdt- CITES (@CITES) May 22, 2015

But there are a number of issues threatening our planet's biodiversity, from climate change to invasive species. Below, we discuss some of the biggest threats facing biodiversity today, as well as what the world can do (and is doing) to keep them in check.

1. Climate change

Changes in climate throughout our planet's history have, of course, altered life on Earth in the long run -- ecosystems have come and gone and species routinely go extinct.

But rapid, manmade climate change speeds up the process, without affording ecosystems and species the time to adapt. For example, rising ocean temperatures and diminishing Arctic sea ice affects marine biodiversity and can shift vegetation zones, having global implications.

Overall, climate is a major factor in the distribution of species across the globe; climate change forces them to adjust. But many are not able to cope, causing them to die out.

What can we do? Individuals can take various steps to fight climate change, such as reducing their carbon footprints, promoting education and contacting elected officials. International governments and cities can lead the charge, however, and the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris will hopefully be a turning point.

2. Deforestation and habitat loss

Deforestation is a direct cause of extinction and loss of biodiversity. An estimated 18 million acres of forest are lost each year, due in part to logging and other human practices, destroying the ecosystems on which many species depend.

Tropical rainforests in particular, such as the Amazon, hold a high percentage of the world's known species, yet the regions themselves are in decline due to humans.

What can we do? The solutions to deforestation mostly lie in policy -- companies and corporations can adopt best practices and refuse to use timber and paper suppliers that contribute to deforestation. In the same vein, conscious consumers can refuse to patronize companies that do, and put pressure on retailers that employ unsustainable manufacturing methods. Individuals can also participate in land preservation through charities and private corporations. Ultimately, however, international governments need to enact stronger, scientific forest protection laws.

3. Overexploitation

Overhunting, overfishing and over-harvesting contribute greatly to the loss of biodiversity, killing off numerous species over the past several hundred years. Poaching and other forms of hunting for profit increase the risk of extinction; the extinction of an apex predator -- or, a predator at the top of a food chain -- can result in catastrophic consequences for ecosystems.

What can we do? Conservation and continued awareness surrounding overexploitation, especially poaching and overfishing, are key. Governments need to actively enforce rules against such practices, and individuals can be more conscious of what they eat and purchase. Other solutions, such as removing subsidies granted to large-scale fisheries, can help, too.

4. Invasive species

The introduction of non-native species into an ecosystem can threaten endemic wildlife (either as predators or competing for resources), affect human health and upset economies.

What can we do? According to the National Wildlife Federation, solutions include creating systems to prevent introduction of invasive species in the first place, effectively monitoring for new infestations and swiftly eradication newly detected invaders. Some scientists use more creative means, such as Google Street View.

5. Pollution

From the burning of fossil fuels (releasing dangerous chemicals into the atmosphere and, in some cases, depleting ozone levels) to dumping 19 billion pounds of plastic into the ocean every year, pollution completely disrupts the Earth's ecosystems. While it may not necessarily cause extinction, pollutants do have the potential to influents species' habits.

For example, acid rain, which is typically caused by the burning of fossil fuels, can acidify smaller bodies of water and soil, negatively affecting the species that live there by changing breeding and feeding habits.

What can we do? The average person can do a number of things to fight atmospheric and hydrologic pollution, such as recycling, conserving energy at home and using public transportation. The Environmental Protection Agency has a helpful guide here.

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5 major threats to biodiversity, and how we can help curb them

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5 major threats to biodiversity, and how we can help curb them