5:27 video, Our planet was once populated by megafauna, big top-of-the-food-chain predators that played their part in balancing our ecosystems. When those megafauna disappear, the result is a "trophic cascade," where every part of the ecosystem reacts to the loss. How can we stay in balance? George Monbiot suggests rewilding: putting wolves, lions and other predators back on top -- with surprising results.
Explore food chains, food webs, energy pyramids, and the power of biodiversity in this ecology video by the Amoeba Sisters! This video also introduces general vocabulary for the unit of ecology.
When plastic trash degrades in the ocean, it doesn't just go away: It becomes countless tiny particles, and little creatures called larvaceans sweep it up--and into the food chain.
The first activity will have you investigate some of the animals in the Mexican ecosystem. Figure out who are the predators and who are their prey and build your own food web.
In a mountain meadow in Colorado, ecologists have come across yet another example of the amazing interconnectedness of nature's flora and fauna. Black bears, by eating ants, help one of the meadow's key plant species thrive.
As benign as it may look up close, the tiny seaweed Caulerpa taxifolia can wreak quite a bit of havoc on coastal ecosystems. This super algae is very adaptable; it also grows fast and spreads easily. Eric Noel Muñoz gives the details of this plant's incredible invasion, shedding light on the risks of introducing invasive species into new ecosystems.