(6.22) Something a little different for Movies on the Block this week — Planet Earth Season One: Jungles and Deep Sea. And why not. Shouldn’t David Attenborough be getting a Nobel Prize or something for this work. And shouldn’t we be sending “golden records” of this series into outer space for future reference . . you know, in case something happens. The photography in this series is just jaw-dropping.
Jungles:
On 3% of the Earth’s surface, the rain forest is the habitat for half our animal species, even 80% of insects. So its wildlife is most competitive, like the birds of paradise’s mating, and specialized with unique relationships of predation, parasitism etc. For plants, the quest for light is key to stratification, paralleled by interacting animals eating fruits, leaves and other animals. Even the jungle cacophony is stratified. On the soil, recycling specialist like fungi restart the cycle of life. In Central Africa even herds of elephants specialize in following self-made forest paths.
Deep Sea:
Open ocean, a vast biotope covering two thirds of the planet, some shallow, some as deep as the mountain ranges are high. The ocean has an immense, precariously complex food chain, varying from microscopic animals, like krill, to whales, which ironically feed mainly on the former. Most species swim or float in it, many coming up for air, while other dive in from land or air, often to feed, but also to procreate on the coast, where some species come to lay their eggs. Even the shore is covered with life, largely based on organic matter, such as corpses.
(We got a little of that “organic matter” down at Beavertail right now.)
“Planet Earth” not rated, but children should be forced to watch every single episode at least twice. Running time probably about two hours.
Sunset 8:24pm, Thursday, June 22, Grant’s Block, 260 Westminster Street, (directions)