Contents

Contents : the story of the earth -- environments -- seasonal changes -- long-term changes -- cycles in nature -- plant life -- animal life -- extinctions -- the seas and oceans -- the ocean surface -- fish -- the depths of the ocean -- coral reefs -- shorelines -- estuaries -- islands -- island life -- grasslands -- grassland plants -- grassland plant-eaters -- grassland meat-eaters -- survival on the grasslands -- life underground -- deserts -- coping with the dryness -- coping with desert temperatures -- rain in the desert -- termperate forests -- deciduous forests -- up in the canopy -- the forest floor -- Northern evergreen forests -- winter in the northern forests -- Australia’s hot, dry forests -- polar regions -- The Antarctic -- The Artic -- mountains -- living in a mountain climate -- an isolated life -- rivers and lakes -- getting oxygen underwater -- fresh water plants and animals -- living by rivers and lakes -- water birds -- The Amazon -- tropical rain forests -- rain forest plants -- the rain forest floor -- climbing and gliding -- monkeys and apes -- rain forest hunters -- colours in the rain forest -- living with people -- people and parasites -- endangered species -- describing living things -- glossary -- index.