"A biome is an area of the planet that can be classified according to the plants and animals that live in it. Temperature, soil, and the amount of light and water help determine what life exists in a biome.

"A biome is different from an ecosystem. An ecosystem is the interaction of living and nonliving things in an environment. A biome is a specific geographic area notable for the species living there. A biome can be made up of many ecosystems. For example, an aquatic biome can contain ecosystems such as coral reefs and kelp forests.

"Not all scientists classify biomes in the same way. Some use broad classifications and count as few as six biomes. These are forest, grassland, freshwater, marine, desert, and tundra." -- definition from National Geographic Society

Episode from USDA Forest Service – Forestcast - A Window of Resurgence for Red Spruce

Air date: 2020. 37 minutes. Web page for episode,

In the 1970s, red spruce was the forest equivalent of a canary in the coal mine, signaling that acid rain was damaging forests and that some species – especially red spruce – were particularly sensitive to this human induced damage. In the course of studying the lingering effects of acid rain, scientists came up with a surprising result – decades later, the canary is feeling much better. [Additional articles relating to this podcast, along with an audio transcript, can be found online]

Episode from The Nature Conservancy Canada: Nature Talks – Episode Five: The World’s Most Endangered Ecosystem

Air date: August 23, 2018. 17 minutes. Web page for episode.

This is the story of how fire, cows, and bison keep the world’s most endangered ecosystem healthy [grasslands]. [Audio transcript can be found online]

Episode 41 of Making Waves – Freshwater Research at the Border

Air date: June 6, 2019. 27 minutes. Web page for episode.

"The topic for this episode is freshwater research at the border. We hear in the news about how the president’s proposed border wall will disrupt wildlife such as big cats and butterflies, but we hear little about how it will affect freshwater and freshwater species. Considering watershed boundaries rarely match political boundaries, creating a physical barrier across a watershed would likely change aspects of the system. I wanted to learn a little more about what kind of freshwater research happens here in the border region, especially since it’s such a tense atmosphere to work in. So, I reached out to four aquatic specialists in Tucson, Arizona, to see what kind of binational projects they work on at the border, the barriers these projects face, the benefits of binational projects, and tune in for the bonus fourth question!"

Episode from Hakai Magazine - Scotland’s Seaweed Showdown

Air date: March 17, 2020. 25 minutes. Web page for episode, with full transcript.

Scotland’s final truly untouched wilderness is underwater: the huge kelp forests that border the Highlands and surrounding islands. But it is the locals versus industry in the country’s kelp wars.

Episode from NPR - Mongolia's Long Road To Mining Wealth

Air date: July 31, 2019. 6 minutes. Web page for episode.

"Gulnara Dariiga has been stuck in traffic for two days in the Gobi Desert in southern Mongolia. The 38-year-old mother of four eats and sleeps in a heavy-duty North Benz truck, assigned to her by her Chinese employer — a coal buyer across the border...This trade road and the immense gridlock of hissing trucks lined up like dominoes, waiting to cross the Mongolia-China border, are an indication of Mongolia's future: The nation is shifting away from an economy based on agriculture and herding to one based on mining. With economic transformation comes opportunity, but also environmental damage and growing pains for local residents, as the landscape is carved up by mining machinery and trucks."

Episode from Living on Earth - A bold plan to slow the melt of Arctic permafrost could help reverse global warming

Air date: April 30, 2017. 8 minutes. Web page for episode.

Russian scientists Sergey Zimov and Nikita Zimov believe they can slow the thawing of the Siberian permafrost by bringing back grazing animals to a swath of land called Pleistocene Park.

Questions for discussion

[1] Which episode on this list was your favorite episode? Explain.

[2] Have humans had an impact in one biome more than the others? Explain your reasoning.

[3] Is one biome more important than the others, or deserve more time/attention/protection? Explain.

[4] Can a location have a healthy biome and strong economy?

[5] Looking at the situations at the Mexican/US border and in the Gobi Desert (Mongolia/China border), how are national governments/international relations impacting biomes?

[6] All biomes are changing - should they be restored back to a previous time (like Pleistocene Park), or be allowed to meet a natural outcome?

[7] To circle back to the original suggestion for this listening list topic... what steps should we be taking to save the pandas? How would you outline your approach to this challenge?