In an ecological food chain, consumers are classed into primary, secondary, and tertiary consumers. Primary consumers make up the second trophic level as they feed on primary producers. In other words, primary consumers are organisms that take up food directly from plants. Primary consumers are normally herbivores. They are also referred to as heterotrophs as…
All living organisms on Earth have carbon present in their systems. Carbon is an essential component that makes up the complex molecules of various organisms, humans included. The presence of carbon in living organisms distinguishes them from inorganic elements whose compounds lack the said element. Without carbon, biomolecules such as carbohydrates would never be completed….
Across periods of time, we have been witnessing the variations of populations across different nations around the world. These variations would either be about the increase in the number of people living in an area, or the decrease in such number. We call this movement of people in and out of populations as migration. Migration…
Photosynthesis is the process through which plants convert light energy from the sun to chemical energy. The chemical energy is then stored as sugar. During the process of photosynthesis, plants capture light energy and use it to convert water, carbon dioxide, and minerals into oxygen (released into the air) and glucose (stored in the plant and…
Simply defined, a forest is a vast area including a large group of trees. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Forest is a minimum “Land spanning more than 0.5 hectares with trees higher than 5 meters and a canopy cover of more than 10 percent or trees able to reach these thresholds in…
Sunspots are temporary phenomena that occur on the Sun’s photosphere which appear as spots darker than the areas surrounding it. These regions reduce the surface temperature which are caused by concentrations of magnetic field flux and inhibit convection. Sunspots usually appear in pairs of opposite magnetic polarity. The numbers of these sunspots vary per year….
A thunderstorm is basically a storm characterized by lightning and thunder. Also known as electrical storms, lightning storms, or thundershowers, thunderstorms are caused by an updraft that occurs when warm, moist air rises up into the atmosphere. Then, the updraft forms a cumulus cloud, which eventually becomes the thunderstorm cloud. Thunderstorms are normally accompanied by…
When you stand at a vantage point of space, you’ll be treated to an array of breathtaking landforms. However, these beautiful pieces of nature can only qualify as landforms if nature created them. This means human-made dams, vehicles, and buildings cannot be called landforms. Mountains, hills, plains, plateaus, beaches, sea stacks and canyons all qualify…
If you take a look at a map of the earth today, you will see the current locations of broken land masses that constitute the earth. However, would you believe if someone told you that these broken land masses were once connected to each other as one huge supercontinent? Well, this claim was made in…
Sand dunes are some of nature’s most scintillating creations. These eye-catching land masses are found around the globe in different climatic conditions. They are not only limited to deserts, but can form in any landscape on the earth’s surface provided the conditions are right. Every sand dune is formed as a result of the interaction…
If you look out of your window, you’ll probably see buildings, trees, telephone poles and so on. The world we live in today has mostly been shaped by humans. However, it’s not only humans that are moving things and shaping the planet. Rain, wind, and other natural elements shape the earth all the time, leaving…
A Delta is one landform that has a rich history and a wealth of benefits. Since the start of civilization, humans have settled along rivers and subsequent delta formed by them. The sediment carried along and deposited by huge flowing rivers creates an area rich in nutrients and ideal for agriculture and fishing. So, what…
Valleys are the most predominant landforms on the face of the earth. They are found on virtually every continent on planet earth, along sea bottoms, and other planets. Valleys assume a wide array of forms, from broad plains to steep-sided canyons. The kind of valley created depends on numerous factors, for instance, the erosion medium,…
There is a wide range of landforms on the planet. While some landforms like mountains and forests are beautiful, others such as swamps and deserts are not that pleasant. However, we as humans are lucky to have an infinite number of landforms to view. Desert, in particular, is one kind of landform that humans dislike…
Of all the landforms on earth, mountains loom large in people’s imagination. From ancient times, many have viewed these mysterious places as home to supernatural beings or gods. Others have viewed them as the hallmark in human escapade. Mountain climbing is one such escapade and is seen as an intense experiment of human desire and…