Screen from iBiome-Wetland (Springbay Studio)

A smiling Professor Bio guides students through iBiome-Wetland (Springbay Studio, Ltd. iOS $3.99; Gr 4-7), an app designed to teach biodiversity through a series of gamelike activities featuring a fresh water marsh, a salt water marsh, and a mangrove swamp. In his introduction, the professor notes that wetlands are "a very important part of the ecosystem," and "act as a natural barrier to hurricanes." Draining them to build towns and dams can be devastating to the environment when a hurricane does occur. While that damage can not be "undone," the professor asks viewers to help "restore the wetland to its natural state" and challenges them to build four biodomes (there are two mangrove swamps) to experiment and "discover how so many amazing species live together."

Screen from iBiome-Wetland (Springbay Studio)

When a biodome is opened, players see a card with a photograph accompanied by text explaining how the plant or animal depicted affects the food chain or biodiversity within the habitat. For example, in the salt water marsh, sea oats, crayfish, green herons, and muskrats are among the 10 plants and animals introduced. Viewers learn “muskrats are a typical omnivore, consuming both plants and animals,” “green herons love to feed on fish and invertebrates,” and so on. To understand the role the plant or creature plays in that habitat the viewer must conduct some “research” (triggered by shaking the iPad). The various plants, animals, and environmental factors (mud, sun, etc.) appear as floating icons that must be matched to their corresponding categories: environment, prey, producer, predator, or decomposer. Missteps are responded to with reminders about what eats what. When a task is completed and the sound is switched on (recommended), a brief interlude of cheery music is heard. Watery and animal sounds enhance both the atmosphere and the adventure. At the beginner level, players must match four items with an equal number of categories in the globe-like environments where blues and greens predominate, but as they advance through each biodome more living things than categories appear on the screen and choices must be made about which plants and animals best suit the available slots. Despite the challenge this presents, the play can get repetitive. Once prey, predator, and producers are matched correctly, arrows appear that show how these forms of life relate in that particular web. When players complete a biodome, it springs to life with plants, fish, birds, trees, and insects; a final screen offers a photograph and additional information (in very small print) about the environment. A "Parent's Corner" asks them to rate or share the app.

Screen from iBiome-Wetland (Springbay Studio)

Given the number of levels in each biome, the app will keep students involved for some time; badges earned and a timer may offer incentive to complete all the tasks. (A journal allows them to show how far they have advanced.)  While the app is activity-based, there is a fair amount of text and teachers may prefer to use the app with young students on an interactive white board. The app available in 16 languages. A trailer is available. All in all, a supplemental purchase.—Elizabeth Kahn, Patrick F. Taylor Science & Technology Academy, Avondale, LA For additional app reviews, visit our dedicated app webpage.     .