Episodes in this Series
- 101. Introduction to North American Biomes
- Explains the term biome and reviews the major types found in North America, including forests, grasslands, deserts, seashores, rivers and streams, and wetlands. Each profile discusses the features that distinguish one biome from another, including natural processes like fire and flooding, and highlights representative plants and animals. 10 minutes.
- 102. Forests
- Descriptions and typical flora and fauna for each of North America's most widespread forest types—coniferous, deciduous, and mixed. An overview of forest ecology describes each forest layer from the canopy to the ground. 10 minutes.
- 103. Grasslands
- North America's grasslands once covered the heart of the continent, but years of fragmentation and disturbance have reduced these fragile habitats to isolated remnants. This virtual field trip visits the major grassland types (tall-grass, mixed-grass, and short-grass); showcases their great natural diversity; and discusses some of the natural processes that maintain grasslands, including fire and grazing. 10 minutes.
- 104. Deserts
- Refutes the myth that deserts are hostile places that only a vulture or a snake could love by highlighting the beauty and mystery of North America's four major deserts—the Great Basin, Chihuahuan, Mojave, and Sonoran—and describes the traits common to deserts all over the world as well as the special characteristics that distinguish each North American example. 10 minutes.
- 105. Seashore
- Unearths the mysteries of the seashore by describing the characteristics and wild inhabitants of the Atlantic, Gulf, and Pacific coasts. Unique maritime habitats, such as sandy barrier islands and rocky shorelines, are compared and contrasted. 10 minutes.
- 106. Rivers and Streams
- North America's rivers and streams are home to the world's richest populations of freshwater fish, mammals, mussels, crayfish, snails, and aquatic insects. This program traces a river from its headwaters to the sea, describing the natural processes and plants and animals seen along the way, and introduces important concepts such as the role of riparian areas and the importance of river and stream conservation to human life. 10 minutes.
- 107. Wetlands
- Introduces a variety of types of wetlands—some wet, but others bone-dry—ranging from permanent lakes to floodplains with fluctuating water levels. 10 minutes.
- 108. Conserving North American Biomes
- Illustrates how every North American biome is important to our quality of life by providing drinking water, food, and recreation; examines how various biomes have been treated and mistreated; and suggests how students can get involved in protecting and restoring these irreplaceable wild lands. 10 minutes.
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