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We've got challenges, ocean animal profiles, ocean-themed games, videos, and photos for you to explore.

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https://rangerrick.org/ranger_rick/the-ocean/

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facts samyra.estuaries - Marine Bio.Panoramio - Photo of Pollution at the estuary of Cuta, Batangas City.Overfishing | Biodiversity | RESET.org.Jadai-animals.Great Blue Heron | Audubon Field Guide.Why Do Hermit Crabs Live In Borrowed Shells? | Wonderopolis.Starry Flounder Pictures. Images of Platichthys stellatus.What's An Estuary? Now You Know. - YouTube

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Lakes are formed by different acts of nature. Many appeared after glaciers moved across Earth during the last ice age, between 12,000 and 1.8 million years ago, and left giant bowl-shaped hollows in the land that filled with rainwater and runoff. Others were created when Earth's crust shifted, leaving grooves and ridges to catch water. And sometimes when a volcano erupts, all the magma flows out. If the land collapses into the empty crater, it leaves holes that can turn into huge lakes. Crater Lake in Oregon was made this way.

Rivers are created when melting snow or ice runs down mountains, following the grooves and channels of the land on the way to the sea-rivers always flow to an ocean. Wetlands, areas where the land is covered with water most of the time, often form in the land surrounding rivers that flood, or in areas where groundwater seeps up through the bedrock underneath the soil. Bedrock is made of different types of rocks like granite, sandstone and limestone. Water can seep through the cracks between these rocks, and it can dissolve limestone. Beavers can even create wetlands by building dams on rivers and streams.

The largest freshwater habitat in the world is the Everglades, a 1.5 million acre wetlands in southern Florida. The Amazon River in South America begins in the Andes Mountains and goes 4,000 miles (6,400 km) to the Atlantic Ocean; it flows through six countries, including Peru and Ecuador. Lake Baikal in Siberia, a region in Russia, is the world's biggest lake. This North Asian body of water contains one-fifth of all the freshwater on the planet.

So whether you're a hungry turtle, a pollutant-sucking plant, or a thirsty human who also likes to play in the water, freshwater habitats are vital ecosystems for our planet!
Text by Avery Hurt

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Rivers, creeks, lakes, ponds, and streams are all freshwater habitats. So are wetlands like swamps, which have woody plants and trees; and marshes, which have no trees but lots of grasses and reeds. Freshwater accounts for only three percent of the world's water.

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A river is a stream of water that flows through a channel (or passage) in the surface of the ground. The passage where the river flows is called the river bed and the earth on each side is called a river bank.

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A pond is a body of water smaller than a lake. Ponds support wide range of wildlife: ducks, turtles, swans, small fish, and frogs can live in a pond. Usually, in most ponds sunlight can reach to bottom. In some cases ponds do not last all year round. This type of pond is called a vernal pond, or ephemeral, seasonal, or temporary wetlands. These types of ponds do not have any fish. Some ponds are now getting polluted because of humans.

Images for kids

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A pond is a body of water smaller than a lake. Ponds support wide range of wildlife: ducks, turtles, swans, small fish, and frogs can live in a pond. Usually, in most ponds sunlight can reach to bottom. In some cases ponds do not last all year round.

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Lakes contain about 90% of all the surface water on Earth, not including oceans. Lakes form when water finds its way into a basin. In order to survive they need to have a constant flow of new water, otherwise they'll eventually dry up. So how do lakes form?

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A swamp is part of a wetland ecosystem. Swamps are forested, low, spongy land generally saturated with water and covered with trees and aquatic plants. Big parts of swamps are often flooded with water. Swamps are nesting and breeding grounds for birds and other animals.

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Today's Wonder of the Day was inspired by john. john Wonders, " whats a swamp? " Thanks for WONDERing with us, john!

Today's Wonder of the Day is full of alligators...and turtles...and snakes...and fish...and trees ...and water. Where are we headed? The swamp, of course!

Although the word "swamp" might sound because of some of the creatures that live there, swamps are really just wetlands. That means they're like lakes only much shallower. The water in swamps is usually enough to allow plants and trees to .

Swamps can often be found along large rivers or along the shores of large lakes. In fact, some of the world's largest swamps can be found along the world's largest rivers, including the Amazon, the Mississippi, and the Congo.

Swamps can contain fresh water, seawater, or a mixture of both. Some swamps are permanent, while others come and go with fluctuations in the local water level. Whatever type of water is present, it usually moves very slowly through a swamp, due to the presence of large amounts of plants and trees.

Although wetlands are very valuable because of the many types of plants and animals they support, swamps have often been drained throughout history to convert the land for use as farms. Some swamps were drained to reduce diseases caused by swamp insects, such as mosquitoes. Still other swamps were drained to allow logging of the trees in the area.

ditches, canals, and levees have been built to drain the water. This process resulted in the loss of for many plants and animals. In some areas of the world, such as Europe and New Zealand, has been so widespread that 50-90% of wetlands have vanished.

Today, many groups are actively trying to restore wetlands. Scientists now understand how valuable swamps can be. In addition to a for plants and animals, swamps help with flood control and water purification . Depending upon how the wetlands were drained, restoring them can be as simple as plugging ditches or removing levees.

The largest swamp in the United States - Atchafalaya Swamp - sits along the end of the Mississippi River in southern Louisiana. The U.S. has several other famous swamps, including the Everglades in Florida and the Okefenokee Swamp in Georgia.

Even though scientists now recognize the value of swamps, these areas of land still tend to have lower property values than other types of land, such as woodlands and fields. Many people who live near swamps, though, do manage to make use of them by fishing and hunting animals that call the swamp home.

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Today's Wonder of the Day was inspired by john. john Wonders, " whats a swamp? " Thanks for WONDERing with us, john! Today's Wonder of the Day is full of alligators...and turtles...and snakes...and fish...and trees ...and water. Where are we headed? The swamp, of course!

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Swamps and Wetland Images

Click through all of our Swamps and Wetland images in the gallery.

Swamps and wetlands are large areas of water that are broken up by small islands of land and large amounts of plants. Swamps and wetlands, marshes, bogs and fens are found all over the world, generally in more temperate regions where there is fast vegetation growth. Swamps can be found in freshwater, brackish and salt-water environments and have a number of wildlife species that have specifically adapted to living in them.

There are two main types of shallow watery areas, which are swamps and wetlands. Swamps tend to be found in forested areas where trees, such as mangrove trees, are able to survive in the salt-water conditions and need lots of space for their roots. Wetlands tend to be areas close to large rivers or estuaries that flood when there is a large amount of water and the river banks burst. Wetlands are home to numerous species of fish, birds and reptiles.

Mangrove swamps are one of the richest habitats in the world as they are home to animals both above and below the surface of the water. The enormous roots of the mangrove trees act as shelter to small fish, reptiles and amphibians and also act as a method for animals to get in and out of the water. There are many species of fish that can be found in mangrove forests and nowhere else in the world.

Many of the larger animals that inhabit swamps and wetlands have a fish-based diet. Large crabs dwell in the salt-water swamps, along with snapping turtles and even crocodiles and alligators. Lizards and amphibians live in and around the waters edge and one species of snake has even adapted to eating fish. In the wetlands, large aquatic birds such as the iris and the heron stand in the shallower waters spearing fish with their long beaks.

Swamps and wetlands are one of the most preferable places for numerous insects to lay their eggs, and they are home to water-loving babies such as dragonfly nymph which spend the first part of their lives under the surface of the water. Frogs are often found inhabiting swamp and wetland areas, primarily due to the abundance of food in the form of flies and other insects.

Due to deforestation and pollution in both the air and the water, swamps and wetlands are becoming more and more threatened. Many animals that inhabit swamp and wetland habitats are specifically adapted to living in these environments and are vulnerable to toxins in the water and the air.

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Swamps and wetlands are large areas of water that are broken up by small islands of land and large amounts of plants. Swamps and wetlands, marshes, bogs and fens are found all over the world, generally in more temperate regions where there is fast vegetation growth.

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https://kids.britannica.com/kids/article/desert/346108

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https://www.dkfindout.com/us/earth/deserts/

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Dry leaves crunch under your feet as you walk through the woods. The air is crisp and cool. The sun shines through the orange, red, and gold leaves. It's autumn and the forest is popping with color.

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Dry leaves crunch under your feet as you walk through the woods. The air is crisp and cool. The sun shines through the orange, red, and gold leaves. It's autumn and the forest is popping with color.

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Mountains and hills tend to slow rain clouds down, squeezing the water from them. These high points usually get more rainfall than the surrounding areas. When rain falls, it has to go somewhere. Gravity causes it to run down the hills. As it runs down the hills and onto the surrounding area, it gathers in an area called a watershed, which is a valley with lots of little streams. The little streams run together to make rivers.

Small rivers join to make larger rivers. Finally, a river runs all the way to the ocean or into lakes. Clouds over the ocean and lakes collect water. The water moves onto land and is dumped as rain. The process starts all over again.

Fun Facts about Rivers and Streams for Kids

Some rivers form when lakes overflow. The Mississippi River starts at Lake Itasca in Minnesota.

Rivers and streams have many purposes. Farmers sometimes build canals and dams to catch the water and use it for crops. People travel by boat on rivers. Rivers provide a home for many fish and animals.

The names of rivers often change over time. Many rivers in the U.S. have names that came from the original Indian name.

Some rivers are named for their qualities. The Snake River, which runs through Idaho, was named because of its snake-like, curving form.

Over 65 percent of our drinking water comes from streams and rivers.

River and Stream Vocabulary

Learn More All About Rivers and Streams

Check out this video all about rivers and streams:

A video documentary explaining about rivers.

River and Stream Q&A

Question: Who owns rivers in America?

Answer: You do. Almost all rivers are publicly owned up to the high mark, which is the highest place that the water runs. The land surrounding the river might be privately owned, but the river itself is yours.

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Question: Is it safe to swim in rivers and streams?

Answer: That depends. Some slow rivers and streams are safe to swim in. Others have undercurrents or deep drop-offs that can make them dangerous. Always swim with an adult.

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Question: What is the longest river in the world?

Answer: The Nile, which stretches over 4,132 miles, is the longest river in the world. The Missouri River is the longest river in the U.S., stretching over 2,340 miles.

Enjoyed the Easy Science for Kids Website all about Rivers and Streams info? Take the FREE & fun Rivers and Streams quiz and download FREE Rivers and Streams worksheet for kids. For lengthy info click here.

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Mountains and hills tend to slow rain clouds down, squeezing the water from them. These high points usually get more rainfall than the surrounding areas. When rain falls, it has to go somewhere. Gravity causes it to run down the hills.

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Look Closely

It may seem like nothing can live in a desert because it's so dry. But most deserts are full of life, with plants and animals that have adapted to survive without much water. Some plants, like cacti, store enough water in their stems to last until the next rain. Other plants, like mesquite grass, have very small leaves that curl up in the daytime to conserve the water they have. Some desert plants sprout and bloom only when it rains.

Desert animals also have adaptations that help them survive without much water. Kangaroo rats in the Sonoran Desert get water from the seeds they eat. Some carnivores, such as desert foxes, get enough liquid from their prey.

Another trick? Most desert animals stay underground or beneath shady rocks during the day. Many of them come out to hunt for food at night, when it's cool.

If you plan to explore a desert, be sure to pack water, sunscreen, and protective clothing. After all, you're not a kangaroo rat!

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Look Closely It may seem like nothing can live in a desert because it's so dry. But most deserts are full of life, with plants and animals that have adapted to survive without much water. Some plants, like cacti, store enough water in their stems to last until the next rain.

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15 rainforest facts | National Geographic Kids

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Join us here at Nat Geo Kids to discover 15 cool rainforest facts. Learn fascinating facts about the rainforest's trees, plants, people and more...

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Famous Rainforests

There are rainforests in Africa, Asia, Australia, and Central and South America. The biggest rainforest is the Amazon rainforest. It's about the size of the contiguous United States, which doesn't include Alaska or Hawaii. More than half of it is in Brazil, but parts are in several other South American countries, including Ecuador and Bolivia. The next biggest rainforest is the Congo in Africa. Parts of the Congo can be found in several other countries too, including the Democratic Republic of Congo and Cameroon.

Most rainforests are found along or near the Equator, where it tends to be hot. But some rainforests grow in temperate regions where it's cooler. Hoh Rainforest in Olympic National Park on the Pacific northwest coast of North America is an example of a temperate rainforest. Like tropical rainforests, temperate rainforests get lots of, well, rain.

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Famous Rainforests There are rainforests in Africa, Asia, Australia, and Central and South America. The biggest rainforest is the Amazon rainforest. It's about the size of the contiguous United States, which doesn't include Alaska or Hawaii. More than half of it is in Brazil, but parts are in several other South American countries, including Ecuador and Bolivia.