Kingdoms of Life

Earth teems with life, supporting an estimated 30 million different types of organisms. So far, scientists have discovered less than two million. Our world not only has an abundance of life forms, but also a great variety of living things, from one-celled microbes to the humans who study them. Kingdoms of Life surveys the six basic types of organisms that share this world: eubacteria, archaea, protists, fungi, plants, and animals. The book explores the differences and similarities of these life forms, and the strategies that organisms use to eat, reproduce, and survive. Along the way, readers will see how different types of organisms interact to support life on the planet. In addition to exploring Earth's biological diversity, this new title investigates how human activities threaten biodiversity.