Scientists divide the diverse natural geographical regions of the world into biomes. Within each biome you find different climates, plant and animal life. This series introduces students to the diversity of biomes and the changes and challenges affecting their future.

When we think of the desert, perhaps we mostly think of large expanses of sand dunes. But only a tiny part of the Earth’s deserts are like that. We learn the difference between the two main types of deserts - dry deserts and polar deserts. We also learn where on Earth deserts form. We go through terms like tropic, zenith and rain shadow. All life in the desert has had to adapt to extreme conditions. We find out what traits plants and animals have developed to survive in these places. Finally, we look at some of the changes and challenges that affect the desert.

In this video, we learn about forests, one of the world’s biggest biomes. We’ll start by discussing what a forest really is - because it’s a lot more than just trees! The forest is in many ways a key resource, above all for the climate, but also for the economy. The forest absorbs part of the carbon dioxide we release when we burn fossil fuels. We learn about the layers that make up a forest. We also take a closer look at the types of forest that exist and what plants and animals we find there. Why do leaves change color in the fall? We’ll learn that too.

We take a look at what makes freshwater so important and find out which plants and animals live in a freshwater habitat. We’ll also explore some of the challenges and problems the world faces – like pollution and water shortages - and what we can do to make a difference. What is eutrophication and what is a wetland? We’ll tell you all about it in this video about freshwater!

Our oceans – what are they? What does overfishing do? How does photosynthesis work at sea? What could a marginal sea be? We’ll also be taking a look at marine plants and animals. And we’ll explore some of the challenges and problems our oceans face, and what we can do to make a difference.