A new permanent exhibition wing - featuring more than 250 species of plants and animals - has opened at the California Science Center (CSC) in Los Angeles, US.

Ecosystems occupies a 45,000sq ft (4,181sq m) area - doubling the attraction's existing exhibition space - and will form the centrepiece of phase two of the CSC's masterplan. The experience boasts a series of "immersive environments" - such as the Island Zone and the River Zone - which will enable visitors to explore diverse habitats and ecosystems.

A 24ft (7.3m)-long tunnel through the 188,000 gallon (855,000-litre) Kelp Forest environment will examine the wildlife that can be found in sea forests, while the Rot Room will demonstrate the importance of rot and decomposition in the life cycle. CSC president and chief executive officer Jeffrey N Rudolph said: "Ecosystems will give our guests an appreciation for how the living world and physical world are interconnected as well as how scientists use the key principles of ecology to explain ecosystem processes.

"We believe that Ecosystems will provide guests with the knowledge to become better stewards of the environment."