The ostrich is the largest bird in the world. Ostriches cannot fly but they can run as fast as 50 kilometres per hour (30 miles per hour).
The Amazon - how did paradise begin
The Amazon - how did paradise begin Botanists working in the Amazon have to be able to
climb tall trees. Mature trees usually have no easy-to-reach
branches, so botanists must be prepared to climb, and climb high.
In Yasuni National Park in eastern Ecuador, researchers are
undertaking an ambitious project to map and identify every tree on
a 50-hectare study plot, classifying more than 700 species of
trees. The question researchers are attempting to answer is why
there are so many different types of species flourishing.
If counting the number of trees seems overwhelming, imagine the
job that Terry Erwin is undertaking. He is carrying out a census of
insects and spiders. Over the past three years, he and his
colleagues have identified nearly a million and half specimens.
When they take a break from collecting insects, they discuss the
central problem of why such staggering biological diversity is
found in the Amazon. At present, there are no easy answers.
Biodiversity is a complex issue and the answers are not
simple. 21 SEPTEMBER 1996, P. 34-37
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