Ecosystems

Have you ever seen a big, busy family in the woods. I am that family. The tall trees are like grown-ups, stretching their leafy arms to the sky. The warm sun peeks through the leaves, sending down little patches of light. It feels so nice and warm. Down below, happy little squirrels scamper and play, looking for yummy nuts. Zzzzip. They run up a tree. Busy bees buzz from one bright flower to another, sipping sweet nectar. Bzzz, bzzz, they go. In the cool, clear pond, tiny fish wiggle their tails and swim all day long. Swish, swoosh. Everyone has a job to do. Everyone helps each other. The sun helps the flowers grow, and the flowers help the bees.

For a long, long time, people would walk through my forests and swim in my waters. Then, some very curious people started to look closer. These curious explorers wore big hats and carried notebooks. They wanted to know how everything worked together. They traveled far, far away on big ships. They climbed tall, snowy mountains and walked through warm, rainy jungles. In every new place, they saw a new kind of family. They saw bright birds that only ate certain fruits. They saw fuzzy caterpillars that only nibbled on certain leaves. The explorers drew pictures and wrote down what they saw. They realized that the plants and animals in each place were a special team. They all needed each other to be happy and healthy, just like a family.

The curious people gave me a special name. Are you ready to hear it. They called me an Ecosystem. That is a big word for a big family. I am an ecosystem. I am in the big, deep ocean. I am in the little puddle in your backyard. I am everywhere. And guess what. You are a part of my family, too. You can help keep my family strong and happy. When you are kind to the little bugs and the tall trees, you are helping me. We are all on the same team.