Praise for the previous edition:
"...[a] valuable resource for science reports..."—School Library Journal
"...thorough and direct..."—SLJ Curriculum Connections
Earth's astonishing diversity of life—in coral reefs, Arctic tundra, tropical rain forests, deep-sea hot springs, and many others—is amazing for its beauty and for the ecosystem services it provides. People, however, exploit organisms and ecosystems for food, clothing, shelter, medicines, and fuel, damaging or destroying many ecosystems. As a result of human activities, species' extinctions are occurring at a rate 10 to 100 times faster than in the planet's recent history. Biosphere, Second Edition candidly explores these pressing issues in a clear, accessible format. The information covered in this eye-opening eBook discusses how ecosystems must be set aside, habitats restored, and global warming thwarted. Readers will learn how organisms can be saved in their native habitats or in zoos, or their genes can be preserved in freezers.