WETLAND, FOREST & OTHER BIOMES

BIOMES: "A major community of living or-
ganisms; a complex of climax communities
of plants and animals in a major region."
"A major life zone, biotic formation."
"A major ecological community type."

BOGS, SWAMPS & MARSHES
How these important wetlands are formed, why they are valuable, their successional stages, what lives in them, threats to their existance. 216 slides, detailed texts.
EP #109X SLIDES
$245.95

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SAVE OVER $80.00 ON 5 SLIDE SET BUNDLE ORDER EP #109X.........$245.95
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ECOLOGY OF A BOG Order #109.......$42.50

Describes the formation and maintenance of a typical bog environment, its
special characteristics and problems, and surveys typical bog flora and fauna. Coverage
includes why bogs "quake," marsh marigold, sphagnum moss, insectivorous plants,
sedges, larch, spruce, cranberry, Labrador tea, buckbean, three species of orchid,
salamander, wood frog, vole, jumping mouse and endangered bog turtle. 20 slides and
detailed guide.

CONTENT SAMPLE: 27232 Showy lady's slipper (Cypripedium reginae) is one of the
best-known and most familiar of our bog orchids. Veteran bog-trotters affectionately refer to it as
the "big pink and white.' It is the official state flower of Minnesota.

Showy lady's slipper grows best in open areas between tamaracks or white cedars.
Often it is common just within the tree line surrounding so many bogs. It is intolerant of heavy
shade and usually fails to bloom under such conditions. It may continue to produce a single,
spindly leaf for some years after being shaded out and can recover to bloom again if the trees are
thinned. This plant prefers neutral or limy soils and is rarely found on sphagnum.

Showy lady's slipper frequently bears two, or even three flowers per plant, each formed
at the base of a leaf-like bract. The lip of the lady's slipper is modified into a pouch which
somewhat resembles an inflated slipper, and is much different in appearance from that of other
orchid species.

REVIEWS: "We would like to compliment you on a very informative and
educationally vital collection..." W.R.T., President, Paludiological Society, Clifton Park, N.Y.
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BOG ECOLOGY Slides order #SS-1075S........$99.95

A comprehensive program that explores the origin and formation of bogs,
common plants and animals, and compares bogs to other types of wetlands. Bog
succession is illustrated by use of diagrams and photographs. 74 frames. Slides, video
or filmstrip, cassette and guide. (Video order #SS-1075V......$79.95, filmstrips order
#SS-1075F.....$49.95.)

CONTENT SAMPLE: 22. The main feature that distinguishes a true acid bog from a
fen, or alkaline bog, is the predominance of a moss of the genus Sphagnum. This moss is
usually so abundant that it forms a floating mat over the surface of the water. Walking on this mat
gives one the feeling of walking on a giant trampoline.
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ECOLOGY OF A SWAMP Order #122........$42.50

An introduction to the ecosystem of the Okefenokee Swamp in Georgia. A
photographic exploration of the world of millions of singing creatures--insects, reptiles,
amphibians, birds--and a garden of spectacular flower displays. Text details the
significant and unusual characteristics of the animals and plants presented and provides
insights into their valuable and unique wetland biome. 20 slides and detailed guide.

CONTENT SAMPLE: 20961 Despite fire and logging, there are still 400 year old bald
cypresses in the swamp, some over 36 m (120 ft.) tall. Few trees can match its value for lumber,
for the wood is light, straight-grained, durable, resistant to warping, and practically decay-proof.

Its wide, flaring base gives it a low center of gravity and, with its widespread root system,
helps stabilize it in its shifting, watery substrate. The roots throw up protuberances, commonly
called "knees," but more formally known as pneumatophores, which project above the water
surface. They look like supporting buttresses and are thought to be a means whereby additional
oxygen is supplied to the submerged roots.

REVIEWS: "...a very good program..." J.R.E. Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge.
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THE SALT MARSH BIOME Order #117.........$42.50

A detailed study of this most fertile of all biomes. Explains important interrela-
tionships of the aquatic food chain with special emphasis on the role of Spartina grasses,
surveys the plant and animal resources of the salt marsh and the importance of these
areas to continuing bountiful life in the sea. Coverage includes tidal cycles, Spartina,
glasswort, and insects. 20 slides and detailed guide.

CONTENT SAMPLE: 20929 If one could draw a line to separate salt marsh areas from
normal dry-land areas, the line would follow the tideline, the edge of the incoming ocean tides and
waves. It would follow the banks of the many tidal streams which flow into the ocean, and would
trace the edges of coastal areas which have no rivers or creeks.

The extent to which a marsh thrusts inland depends on the surrounding terrain, and
therefore changes as that terrain changes. Nature, man, or both acting together, can cause
these changes. Wind and water erosion can bring down tens of thousands of tons of top soil and
raise the level of the marsh land above the reach of the tide. The marsh grasses themselves can
act as a dam against which this buildup can progress.

REVIEWS: "The slides have been carefully chosen...well written.... Highly recommended
for instruction at the secondary level and for independent study at the college level." Previews.
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FRESHWATER AND SALT MARSHES Slides order #SS-1090S........$99.95

Describes and illustrates the various types of marshes, how marshes are
formed, and the plants and animals common to these very fertile, important, wetland
habitats. In-the-field recordings of many birds and amphibians provide an added
dimension to the photographs. 72 frames, cassette and guide. Slides, video or filmstrip.
(Video order #SS 1090V .....$79.95, filmstrip order #SS-1090F....$49.95.)

CONTENT SAMPLE: 9. Extensive marshes may also occur along sea coasts where
the terrain is flat and there is some protection from high winds and waves. These marshes are
also very productive, since the rising and falling tides periodically replenish mineral nutrients and
food items.

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RELATED PROGRAMS WORTH NOTING
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A CLOSER LOOK AT PONDLIFE---CD-ROM Order #CDR-1565....$79.95
Lab Pack of 5 Order #CDR-1566....$159.95
Library Pack of 20 Order #CDR-1567....$559.95
Network Version (single server, one building) Order #CDR-1567N....$239.95

New 1999
Combined IBM/MAC Format

Through the wonders of close-up photography, this unique CD-ROM brings
students face-to-face with the inner workings of a freshwater pond, the myriad creatures
and plants that reside there, and the dynamic interactions that go on beneath the surface.
This disk features a library of reference information, images, illustrations, clip art, video
clips and more!

Section One provides a general overview of ecosystems in general and the pond
ecosystem in particular, and introduces the various life forms that reside there. These
include emergent and submerged rooted water plants, microscopic and small
macroscopic animals, aquatic insects, molluscs, amphibians, reptiles, birds and
mammals. Spring and fall overturns are explained and numerous links lead students to
images and text that round out their understanding.

Section Two delves into microscopic pond life in great detail, covering: the
different types of cells, eubacteria, cyanobacteria, euglenoids, diatoms, desmids,
dinoflagellates, flagellates, amoebas, ciliates, suctorians and green protists. Eye
stopping photographs of many examples accompany detailed information.

Section Three presents pond plants and information about how they grow and
reproduce, an what lives on and among them: larch, weeping willow, paper birch, poplar,
alder, jewelweed, ferns, mosses, phragmites, aromatic water lily, variable pond weed,
floating heart, submergent rooted plants, cardinal flower, sundew.

With more striking close-up photographs, Section Four presents the small
invertebrate life that is so plentiful amid the shallow water vegetation and pond sediments:
rotifers, gastrotrichs, hydras, flatworms, nematodes, bryozoans, microannelids,
cladocerans (water fleas), and microcrustaceans. Again, numerous links connect these
creatures to other members of the pond community.

Section Five introduces food chains and trophic levels, photosynthesizers,
herbivores, carnivores, omnivores and decomposers. In the process, the numerous pond
vertebrates—fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals—are reintroduced and
presented in depth, along with the microlife forms previously covered. Life styles, feeding
behavior, mating and reproduction, as well as their dependence on other pond life are
presented for the vertebrates.

Section Six provides Field Trip and Laboratory tips. Various classroom and field
projects, ways to collect and preserve specimens, how to calculate a diversity index,
safety considerations, etc.

Section Seven is a unique curriculum section that provides the means to link the
vast library of resources to key, curriculum-based science topics.

Can be used with either Windows or Mac. Color printer recommended.
System Requirements:
Windows 95 or higher, 16MB RAM. Sound card recommended.
Mac 7.5 or higher, 16MB RAM.
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EXPLORING FRESHWATER COMMUNITIES--CD-ROM Order #CDR-1550.........$99.95
Lab Pack of 5 Order #CDR-1550-5.........$199.95

Combined IBM/MAC Format

This indispensable interactive CD-ROM is a complete resource for studying
freshwater biomes.

It provides a fascinating survey of the ecology of swamps, bogs, marshes,
wetlands, streams, ponds, lakes and the Everglades. There is even an introduction to
fish restoration and water pollution.

It also explores the various organisms commonly found associated with these
waters--fish, plankton, protozoa, aquatic insects, amphibians, reptiles, birds and plants,
and emphasizes their special adaptations, feeding habits and the complex interactions
among them.

This program is an instant curriculum-oriented encyclopedia, augmented with
printable diagrams and illustrations, superb photographs, video clips, informative text, lab
activities, and a Protists Culture Database--all on one CD-ROM.

The extensive library of illustrations and diagrams supplements those found in
textbooks.

The Protist Culture Database makes it easy to find over 125 protist genera, and
iIncludes morphologic characteristics, culture parameters and media formulations.

Printable lab activities and laboratory activity tips at the end of each section
help make your ecology labs and field trips more successful than ever before.

Recommended for use with popular biology texts such as Holt: Modern Biology,
Chapter 49, and Prentice Hall: Biology, Chapter 47.

CONTENT SAMPLE:

There are four major types of wetlands: marsh, swamp, fen and bog. Exact classification
is not always possible, since characteristics of more than one type often occur together. In fact,
wetland ecologists sometimes disagree on exactly what these names mean. Before looking at a
bog, in detail, let's briefly consider these four types of wetlands.

A marsh is defined as a wet, open, grassy area with a fluctuating, but always shallow,
water level. The water is either standing or slowly moving. The substratum, or bottom, consists
of mineral soils with or without organic matter.

Both dissolved oxygen and mineral nutrients in the water are present in ample supply.
As a result, marshes can support an abundance of living organisms. Dominant vegetation in
marshes consists of rushes, reeds, reedgrasses, and numerous floating and, in areas of open
water, submerged aquatic plants.

Trees and shrubs are present only near the edges and on small islands of land within the
marsh.

The Everglades region of Florida is a well-known wetland primarily marsh in character.

Copyright (c) MCMXCVI
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SALT MARSHES--A SPECIAL RESOURCE Video order #FV 1017V...........$79.95

A scientifically accurate but simple and relatively nontechnical presentation that
details the intricacies of this special biome. Topics include: major grasses and flowering
plants, lavish food production capacity, invertebrates, vertebrates, impact of man,
economic importance, aesthetic and recreation considerations. 2 parts, detailed 27 page
guide. Video or filmstrips. (Filmstrips (2) order #FS 1017F ......$79.95.)

CONTENT SAMPLE: 64. From a biological standpoint, acre for acre, salt marshes are
among the most productive areas on earth because of the tremendous quantity of grasses and the
availability of minerals and nutrients from the sea.

65. Light energy, from the sun, is captured by the grasses and converted to food energy
by photosynthesis. It has been estimated that one acre of salt marsh, in a year, can produce up
to ten tons of organic matter.

REVIEWS:

**** "RECOMMENDED FOR PURCHASE WITHOUT RESERVATION."Media Review

"Highlighted by unobstructed close-ups of the plants and animals that reside in these
vanishing spots, the filmstrips are guided by a welcome narration that explains...these
remarkable regions.... Will build an appreciation for these singular environments among high
school students." Booklist.

"...an excellent introduction to the salt marsh...suitably paced for serious study."
Science Books & Films.
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~1050-073~ Showy lady's slipper (Cypripedium reginae). photo by John R. MacGregor.

Copyright (c) MCMXCVII Educational Images Ltd., Elmira, NY, USA. All rights reserved.

EDUCATIONAL IMAGES LTD.

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