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Life on Earth
T
he diversity of life on Earth is amazing. Organisms live in every
environment you can imagine. They live in lakes, on mountains,
in swamps, and everywhere else. Some environments are hot,
some are very cold, some are wet, and some are dry. The conditions in
an environment determine what organisms can and can’t live there.
Plants and animals that live in a pond do not have adaptations to
live in a forest. Plants and animals that live in a forest can’t live in
the ocean. Plants and animals have adaptations that help them grow,
survive, and reproduce in their environments.
Wetlands
Wetlands are places with ponds, streams, swamps, and muddy fields.
Cattails and other plants grow in the water. Cottonwood and willow
trees line the ponds and streams.
In many wetlands, cattails are the most successful plants. The strong
roots hold tightly to the bottoms of ponds. The brown hot dog-shaped
structures are seed heads. Each seed head has thousands of seeds.
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