Science & Nature

Grasslands are areas where the predominant vegetation is grasses; they contain very few woody plants such as shrubs and trees. Some better known grasslands include the African savannas, the North...

Because Arizona is a desert state, wetland plants are not usually associated with it; there are, however, a number of plant types from grasses to trees that thrive in the wetland areas of the state.

Beetles are the largest group of animals on the planet, with as many as 350,000 known species, including 23,000 in the United States alone. Beetles account for a quarter of all animal life on...

Every backyard bird watcher loves to look out the window to a yard full of feathered natives, busy feeders and crowded birdbaths. But even the most avid bird enthusiasts will tell you that there...

The mountains of Southwest China are home to the only population of wild pandas on earth. This area sustains the panda because it is rich with bamboo, which makes up 90 per cent of its diet. The...

Of the 1,500 types of mantis species around the globe, 20 live in the United States. The praying mantis is the one most familiar to people, and is an insect easy to identify by its odd looks.

Identifying tree breeds demands experience and proper research. There are approximately 100,000 known species of trees existing throughout the world, according to the writings of Eric McLamb, and...

Birds have simple requirements for selecting a place to nest. Providing a reliable food source, protective cover, water, and nesting areas will attract birds. Flight takes a great deal of energy....

Many people enjoy watching the numerous species of birds that frequent their yards in the warm spring months. Some individuals put up bird houses to draw in beautiful native species like the...

Macaws are colorful New World parrots that inhabit a range spanning from Mexico to South America. Macaws are often sold for pets, and illegal trapping and trading of the birds has led to several...

Seals are part of a group of animals called pinnipeds, which means feather-footed. All members of this group are marine mammals with two front flippers and two hind flippers used for swimming. ...

Humans have inarguably had a great influence on animal populations around the world. Animals are used for many things, including food, shelter, art and tools. However, the more we use natural...

The swallow-tailed hummingbird is a South American species of hummingbird most remarkable for its distinct, deeply forked tail and relatively large size.

Approximately 80 percent of all animal species are insects, according to Clemson University. Entomology is the scientific field of study devoted to species of insects.

The ko'oloa'ula, or Abutilon menziesii, is an endangered flowering mallow. The plants grow wild throughout the Lanai, Maui and Oahu islands and Hawaii. It is an endemic species with remaining...

Spiders are eight-legged carnivorous arachnids. They are found over most of the world in a wide range of habitats from jungle to desert. Most spiders spin sticky webs in which to trap their prey.

Malawi, located in southeastern Africa, is home to numerous endangered species, most critically the black rhinoceros. Many volunteer organizations and wildlife refugees count and preserve Malawi's...

Promoting birds in your yard or on your property in an ecologically sensible manner means little more than ensuring plenty of cover and a broad suite of food sources. While garden shops offer a...

The viral disease rabies can infect any warm-blooded mammal. According to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services website, there are between 7,000 and 8,000 new cases in the U.S....

Charles Darwin's theory of evolution permeates science, from archeology's search for "missing links" between species, to the study of the human genome and the comparisons made between human DNA...

There are thousands of birds and plants that are at serious risk of becoming extinct. Due to their classifications of being either essential or nonessential there are 750 types of plants that are...

A thicket is typically a dense aggregation of shrubs, which are erect woody plants, often with multiple stems at the base. In many landscapes, thickets present some of the most difficult terrain...

The pearl crescent butterfly is an abundant species that can be found throughout much of the United States. It is a difficult species to identify properly because other species are similar in...

Australia is home to a wide variety of plants and animals. They have many species that are endemic to that region and can be found nowhere else on Earth. Many wonderfully unique Australian species...

There are more than 22,000 species of fish in the world, and they all reproduce at an incredible rate. Along with being some of the most plentiful creatures on Earth, baby fish are some of the...

The diversity index is one measure ecologists use to quantify species diversity to compare different environments. One of the most commonly used indices is the Shannon Index. The advantage to...

Nematodes are a microscopic, multicellular species that can be found in tremendous numbers everywhere on our planet. They have been found in the coldest parts of Antarctica and the hottest...

All trees with needles have cones, and most trees with cones and needles are evergreens---but not all of them. Hundreds of species of trees with cones are found throughout the world, and these...

Biotic literally means "of, relating to, or caused by living organisms." The word "biotics" is usually combined with prefixes and suffixes to denote more specific meanings.

Oil spills can have far-reaching effects beyond the area in which a spill occurs. Various factors, such as the type of oil, the area in which the spill occurs and the timeliness and effectiveness...

There are more than 35,000 endangered plant and animal species listed under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as of 2009. "Around the world, many species of plants and animals have become...

Invasive plants and animals are an often-talked about menace in environmental and biological news. They travel by many different methods and affect ecosystems all over the world.

Thousands of animal species are endangered throughout the world. The sheer number of animals that are in trouble can seem overwhelming. Learn about endangered animal conservation and ways that you...

Sika deer are an Asian species of deer that are of medium size compared with other deer. Conservationists and hunting groups transplanted various subspecies of sika deer from their original Asian...

Aspen trees, with leaves that tremble and shake in the slightest wind, are a beautiful arboreal species. They are one of the most widely distributed species of tree in the world, found in urban...

The genus Equisetum includes a suite of plants commonly called "horsetails" or "scouring rushes." These widely-distributed organisms are the only surviving representatives of the once-mighty class...

Dams are built to meet a variety of needs, including power generation, irrigation, recreation and flood control. Dam construction results in a number of consequences for ecosystems, and often...

Lizards are reptiles that are closely related to snakes and range in size from the half- inch members of the gecko family to the 10 foot-long Komodo dragons. Nearly 5,000 species of lizards...

The world outside of China first became familiar with the giant panda in 1869 after a French missionary and naturalist brought attention to this unique type of bear. The giant panda now is one of...

In the fall, many of the maples turn to a brilliant scarlet or crimson color, hence the colloquial term "red maple." In reality, there are many species of maple, most of which turn red at harvest...

Some of the Earth's most severe environments are tundra, such as the upper ramparts of mountains and the great polar deserts. Despite its apparent harshness, this biome supports a great diversity...

Squirrels are small, agile diurnal mammals. More than 300 species inhabit a wide range of environments, including deserts, woodlands and urban parks. Squirrels live on all continents except...

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, more than 32,000 endangered animals exist in the world. Individuals with time, effort and...

While species associated with temperate deciduous forests, such as the American bald eagle, have experienced a revival in terms of population and are no longer considered endangered, other species...

Plants and animal species are important to the ecological balance on which all life forms, including humans, depend. Plants and animals are important food, pharmaceutical and chemical resources....

In 1973, Congress passed the Endangered Species Act to provide protection to animals and plants that had the potential to become extinct. An endangered animal is at risk of extinction in all or...

Much attention is devoted to the preservation and conservation of endangered animal species. Unfortunately, many plant species are also endangered and in need of protection. As with animals,...

As America expanded to the west, much of the world's prairie land began to be eaten away by human habitation. Fortunately, environmental awareness and preservation efforts bean before all of the...

Although mold and fungus are related---the former is actually a subset of the latter---the terms cannot be used interchangeably. Each has its own distinct characteristics, features and functions....

There are at least 40 known species of endangered animals in North America. An animal is classified as endangered if it is likely to become extinct. Although each animal has become endangered for...