1. Environments of the World
In the Diversity, the last OI, we learned about ecosystems and regions of the earth. Environments are the surroundings where certain organisms, or living things make their homes.
Environments of the World

2. 4 different environments!
There are many kinds of environments. But for now we are going to focus on just 4 of them. We will think about these 4 environments, learn about the weather and climate, and decide what it would take to survive in each environment.
Get ready to focus on
4 different environments!

3. The environments we will focus on are the arctic, forests, grasslands, and oceans.
Look for and remember the characteristics of each environment!

4. Forest Environments First, forrests.
One of the most interesting features of the temperate deciduous forest is its changing seasons. 
The word "deciduous" means exactly what the leaves on these trees do: change color in autumn, fall off in the winter, and grow back again in the spring. This adaptation helps trees in the forest survive winter.

5. Some forests are in colder higher environments
Some forests are in colder higher environments. These areas have mainly coniferous forest (evergreen trees with needles) like the temperate rainforest, but the taiga(this environment) is located between 50 degrees latitude north and the Arctic circle.  Many coniferous trees (evergreens with needles) grow in the taiga. The taiga has fewer animal species than the tropical or temperate deciduous forests.

6. Arctic Environments
he arctic tundra is at the top of the world -- around the North Pole. Animals are adapted to handle cold winters and to breed and raise young quickly in the very short and cool summers.   Temperatures during the arctic winter can dip to -60 F (-51 C)! The average temperature of the warmest month is between 50 F (10 C) and 32 F (0 C). Sometimes as few as 55 days per year have a mean temperature higher than 32 F (0 C). The average annual temperature is only 10 to 20F (-12C to -6C).    The soil is often frozen. Permafrost, or permanent ice, usually exists within a meter of the surface. Water is unavailable during most of the year.   Annual precipitation is very low, usually less than 10 inches (25 centimeters).

7. The most distinctive characteristic of tundra soil is its permafrost, a permanently frozen layer of ground. During the brief summers, the top section of the soil may thaw out allowing plants and microorganisms to grow and reproduce. However, these plants and microorganisms become dormant during the cold winter months. There is another region called alpine tundra, which is found on the tops of tall, cold mountains.

8. Ocean Environments
Covering three quarters of the Earth's surface, oceans are as diverse as they are large. The open seas is an interesting and little understood world full of bizarre and fascinating creatures. This ecosystem is a self-containing world with a complex food chain and many organisms that have adapted to extreme and unusual conditions. The ocean is home to the smallest plankton and the largest creature on earth, the blue whale.  

9. The tropical oceans of the world are home to fish, mammals, and birds as well as a myriad of invertebrates. Many beautiful and fragile animals have adapted to the warm waters of coral reefs. Because the reefs offer natural protection to many of the fish, many interesting adaptations have taken place. The result is some of the most bizarre and beautiful creatures found in the sea.

10. Grassland Environments
Grasslands receive about 10 to 30 inches of rain per year. If they received more rain, the grasslands would become a forest. If they received less, they would become a desert. Grasslands are often located between deserts and forests.
Grassland soil tends to be deep and fertile. The roots of perennial grasses usually penetrate far into the soil. In North America, the prairies were once inhabited by huge herds of bison and pronghorns who fed on the prairie grasses. These herds are almost gone now, and most of the prairies have been converted into the richest agricultural region on earth. Crops grow well in the rich soil.

11. Grasslands of the World Grasslands are found on either side of two desert belts that circle the earth. About one quarter of the earth's land is in the grasslands.
Tropical grasslands -- those closest to the equator -- are hot all year.
Temperate grasslands are farther from the equator -- such as the U.S. prairies -- and have both hot summers and harsh winters.
Temperate grasslands once covered much of the interior of North America, and they were common in Eurasia and South America as well. They are highly productive when they are first converted to agricultural uses because the organic material in the soil comes from hundreds of thousands of years of decomposition. In North America, the prairies were once inhabited by huge herds of bison and pronghorns, which were hunted by wolves, bears, and other predators. Where U.S. prairies have been converted to farmland, the large herds and predators that followed them are gone now.
In addition to the prairies of the U.S. Midwest, the world has other grasslands which go by different names. In South America, grasslands are called "pampas"; in Europe, "steppes"; in Africa, "savannas".  

12. Remember the characteristics of each environment!