Jackie Sanchez and Nora Tahbaz A quick image search of deserts in Google will show pictures of barren landscapes with dunes of sand. However, only about 20% of Earth’s deserts are covered in sand. It is a common misconception to assume all deserts are dry, hot, and empty places. These adjectives do not fully describe … Continue reading "Desert Ecosystems"

Abbey Rahier and Jackie Sanchez Rivers and Streams are home to a diverse population of species ranging from small bacteria to large mammals. A variety of factors determine which type of organisms live in these lotic ecosystems including water current, light intensity, temperature, pH levels, dissolved oxygen, salinity, and available nutrients. These factors vary all … Continue reading "Rivers & Streams"

Grace Rogansky and Olivia Wyatt A stillwater ecosystem, also called a lacustrine ecosystem or lentic ecosystem, is any standing water, like a pond or lake. Other examples include ditches, seeps, seasonal pools, and basin marshes. This kind of ecosystem does not have flowing water and can be contrasted with a lotic ecosystem. Lotic ecosystems are … Continue reading "Stillwater Ecosystem"

Nicole Ward and Alexa Haris Corals are ancient creatures with fossil records extending back 400 million years ago. Today, coral reefs are popular tourism sites meanwhile offering home to millions of species and presenting looming concerns for environmentalists and scientists.  Coral reefs are truly colonies. Corals themselves are anthozoans, the largest class of organisms within … Continue reading "The Coral Reef Ecosystem"

Cara Vasso and Phoebe Alley What are Grassland Ecosystems?Grassland ecosystems are open areas of habitat that are mainly composed of grasses and grasslike plant species, such as wild oats, foxtail, purple coneflowers, buffalo grass, goldenrod, and sunflowers. Other forms of vegetation are not suited to survive in the dry environment of grasslands and thus are … Continue reading "The Grassland Ecosystem"

Natalie Schafer and Emily Maranga The littoral ecosystem, also known as the littoral zone, is a very diverse ecosystem. Littoral zones are usually located near lakes, ponds, seas, and rivers and extend from the shoreline to partial water submersion. The longest littoral zone in Europe is along the coast of Greece. It is longer than … Continue reading "The Littoral Ecosystem"

Naomi Lichtenstein and Nicole Ward DESCRIPTIONAlthough there are five named oceans, they are all connected as a singular body of water. The Arctic, Atlantic, Indian, Pacific, and Southern oceans cover about seventy percent of the Earth’s surface with an average depth of 2.4 miles. The ocean ecosystem is vast and includes saltwater bays, seas, inlets, … Continue reading "The Ocean Ecosystem"

Abbey Rahier and Emily Maranga The taiga, also known as the boreal forest, is one of many biomes on Earth. It is located in the subarctic region of the Earth. This area is in the Northern Hemisphere below the Arctic Circle. To be more specific, this ecosystem can be found in Alaska, Canada, Scandinavia, and … Continue reading "The Taiga"

Divine Maduakolam and Natalie Schafer When taking a hike through a forest in a National Park or a Nature Conservancy, people tend to stay on the trail and admire from a distance.  Whether these hikers visit these ecosystems for their recreational use or intrinsic value, these ecosystems are always more complex than they appear. Amongst … Continue reading "The Temperate Forest Ecosystem"

Naomi Lichtenstein and Noah Strand  DESCRIPTION The tropical rainforest, with its vibrant settings and captivating life—is one of the world’s most exceptional ecosystems. Tropical rainforests exist on nearly every continent. The world’s two largest rainforests can be found adjacent to the Amazon River in South America and the Congo River in Central Africa. Together, the … Continue reading "The Tropical Rainforest"

Courtney Cryan and Grace Lacher There are two distinct types of tundras: arctic tundra and alpine tundra. Arctic tundras are located in the upper latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere in countries such as Canada, Russia, Greenland, and Scandinavia. Alpine tundras on the other hand occur near mountain tops, where the climate is incredibly cold as … Continue reading "The Tundra Ecosystem"