This year the theme is the Tree of Life
Rounds 1-3 the “battle” occurs in the better seeded species home ecology- they have home court advantage. Rounds 4-6, the battle takes place in a randomized location announced at the start of the battle.
In 2025 the randomized ecosystems are
(1) Geothermal Wetland - Geothermal wetlands are unique ecosystems where wetlands are influenced by geothermal activity, characterized by hot springs, heated soils, and shallow waters, often with high mineral content and specialized lifeforms.
(2) Sea Cave - Sea caves are formed by the power of the ocean (or in some cases, lakes) attacking zones of weakness in coastal cliffs.
(3) Sky Island - Sky Islands are isolated mountain ranges in southeastern Arizona and northern Mexico, connecting two very different mountainous regions.
(4) Temperate Broadleaf Forest - Deciduous forests grow in areas where there are four clear seasons. Most of the eastern half of the United States is in this biome.
Divisions
Same & Different - Time to Celebrate CONVERGENT EVOLUTION! Animals from very different lineages can similar traits because they have similar adaptations for types of lifestyles- such as traits for digging for food, grazing for grass, eating figs, or gliding from tree to tree.
The Only Ones - This Division are mammals that are the only living species of their genus!
Tuxedo Style - A division of mammals that are “monochromatic” one color- they are shades of grey all the way from from black to white.
Roots & Relicts - Species that have existed for so long from such ancient times or in a lost, remnant population.
Directions for Science worksheets.
Link to research combatants. - Use these links
Round 1 – Physical Traits
Students summarize physical traits of the animals announced by the battle narrators,
especially those that played a role in the outcome.
Round 2 – Behavioral Adaptations
Students describe key behavioral adaptations of the species announced by the battle
narrators, especially behaviors that caused the battle outcome.
Round 3 Sweet 16 –Human Impacts
Students look up IUCN conservation info about the winner of each battle, summarizing
conservation status, threats, and describe current or possible conservation efforts.
Round 4 Elite Trait – Environmental impacts
In round 4, the habitats that animals will battle in will be chosen at random from 4 different ecologies: (1) Geothermal Wetland (2) Sea Cave (3) Sky Island or (4) Temperate Broadleaf Forest. Students summarize how the environment did or could have played a role in the battle outcome by favoring or disfavoring one or both combatants in each battle.
Round 5 – Final Roar - Evolutionary history
Students look up when combatants in each match-up last shared a common ancestor using TimeTree.org.
Round 6 – Final Championship
Students compare and contrast the #2025MMM Champion with the species they had thought would win the tournament, arguing from new evidence that occurred during the tournament play-by-play or, if their prediction was the Champion, identifying new and/or key information that explained how the animal won.
Animal Diversity Web for final assignment