Have you ever wondered how ecologists monitor the health and stability of ecosystems? In this post, I’m going to tell you about one of the most effective tools they use for that purpose, something called an “indicator species.” I’ll delve into what indicator species are, why they are crucial, and provide some interesting examples. What…
Imagine a crab so huge that it weighs a little over 4 kilos and its legs spanning up to a meter in width. It sounds like a monstrous alien from a sci-fi movie, right? But such a creature does exist, and it’s known as the coconut crab, robber crab, or palm thief, and scientifically named…
Who doesn’t like chilling at a Sandy beach on a sunny day, right? But did you know there are just a few sandy beaches that are very unique in the sense that the sand grains are shaped like stars? Yes, that’s true. Aptly called star sand, it’s a rare natural occurrence. In this post, you…
Imagine a sinkhole so deep and vast that you can skydive into it with many interesting life forms and a river inside. Sounds like a scene out of a fantasy movie, right? But such a place does exist, and it’s called Xiaozhai Tiankeng. You are going to learn many interesting facts about it in this…
What comes to your mind if I ask you to think of birds that can dive and forage underwater? Probably birds like cormorants, grebes, pelicans, kingfishers, and such, right? But did you know some songbirds are capable of doing that? Yes, some can, and they are called dippers. In this post, I will take you…
A keystone species is a species of organism that’s crucial for the stability and longevity of the ecosystem it lives in, even though its population might be small. In this post, we will delve into what a keystone species is, their importance to the ecosystems they inhabit, some examples of the keystone species, and how…
Have you heard some people say bats are blind? Well, it’s a common misconception. On the contrary, bats have excellent eyesight, and some bat species have even better vision than humans. While their vision is well adapted to low light conditions, bats don’t solely rely on that to find food and navigate obstacles. Instead, have…
Mangrove forests are unique coastal ecosystems found in the tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Standing out with their plants sophisticatedly adapted to saline and often waterlogged environments, they are important ecosystems that benefit the environment and mankind in many ways. In this post, I will walk you through the characteristics of mangrove forests,…
I think you will agree with me if I say that the ocean is where Earth’s weirdest, most fascinating, and most beautiful creatures dwell. The Dumbo octopus, named after the famous Disney character due to the resemblance in appearance, is such a strange and cute animal. In this post, we will learn about the Dumbo…
There are many kinds of forests in the world, being different from one another due to the specific climatic and geographical conditions of the regions they are found. Cloud forests are one such specific type of forest. They are interesting ecosystems that are important for the whole biosphere of planet Earth. In this post, we’ll…