Sidabras, Kimberly

"A wetland is a region where water and land interact. This biome includes not only the water and the land, but also the unique plants that have adapted to live there. Wetlands are among the world's most vital habitats for wildlife, as they provide a safe place for young creatures--from tiny insects and fish larvae to birds and large mammals--to grow. Yet in many places wetlands are threatened by human development"--Back cover.

"The world's rainforests have been called the 'lungs' of the Earth, because the trees and plants found in rainforest areas produce approximately 40 percent of the world's oxygen. Rainforests are areas of woodland that receive more than 60 to 80 inches (150 to 200 cm) of rain a year. Most rainforest lies in the tropics, but there are also temperate rainforests in many cooler parts of the globe. The world's rainforests are rich in plant, animal, and insect life, but they are threatened by development"--Back cover.

"The world's oceans and seas cover about 71 percent of the Earth's surface, and make up by far the largest biome on the planet. A huge variety of animals and plants live in the warm, shallow waters of the continental shelves. Oceans and the life they contain are vital to human existence, yet today this biome is threatened by pollution, overfishing, and the rising levels of carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere by human activity"--Back cover.

"Grasslands are lands dominated by grasses, rather than large shrubs or trees. There are two main types of grasslands--tropical and temperate. Grasslands are the most widespread biome on land, covering one-fifth of the land surface. Directly or indirectly, grasses provide a very large proportion of human food--either through cultivated cereal grains such as wheat or oats, or by providing food for both wild and domestic animals that are eaten, such as deer or cattle"--Back cover.

"Scientists define a desert as a region that each year loses more water into the air as water vapor than it receives as precipitation in the form of rain, snow, sleet, hail, dew, or frost. Deserts may seem hostile to life, but most natural deserts are home to plants and animals that have adapted to flourish in the harsh environment. The expansion of deserts due to pollution or unsustainable farming practices presents a major ecological challenge for modern societies"--Back cover.