Anyone watching the series may wonder why a follow up to such a successful series as Life on earth should have had guaranteed the same length (13 episodes) as the previous one. That turned out not to be the case.
12-“New Worlds”
Original air date: 12 April 1984
This final episode is about man’s treatment of the planet. In the first part, man tries to use his superior brainpower to become master of nature, gradually redefining it with interbreeding of species. Man’s need make him flock into cities where certain parts of nature come along. The second part concentrate more in man’s destructive powers: pollution and deforestation with final words about its huge costs.
There are serious problems with growing only a single or possibly a few plant species.
Selectively cultivating plants leads to so-called ‘monocultures’: from the numerous species of plants growing in a certain area only one or a few are selected, the rest are eradicated. As mentioned later (Finding Food episode in the Trials series) birds and insects depend on various plants as their energy resources (nectar or fruits). If the food cannot be found the animals move away or starve. This along with poisoning (and a few other reasons) has led to so called “insect armageddon”.
Further reading:
Sally McGrane (2017). Krefeld Journal. The German Amateurs Who Discovered ‘Insect Armageddon’
More than 75 percent decline over 27 years in total flying insect biomass in protected areas
Nature. 550 (7677): 433. 18 October 2017Flying insects are disappearing from German skies
11-“The Open Ocean”
Original air date: 5 April 1984
An outline of the programme
10-“Worlds Apart”
Original air date: 29 March 1984
09-“The Margins of the Land”
Original air date: 22 March 1984
An outline of the programme
08-“Sweet Fresh Water”
Original air date: 15 March 1984
07-“The Sky Above”
Original air date: 8 March 1984
06-“The Baking Deserts”
Original air date: 1 March 1984
05-“Seas of Grass”
Original air date: 23 February 1984
04-“Jungle”
Original air date: 16 February 1984
