More about Ecosystems
While scientists disagree on the number of different types of ecosystems there are in the world, the world has been divided up into large-scale ecosystems called biomes and each biome has distinctive characteristics, some of which are shown below.
Polar – The polar regions are the coldest regions on Earth. At both poles, the ocean waters have a high oxygen content, supporting a wide community of animals.
Grassland – Grasslands receive too little rainfall for forest cover, but enough for shrubs and grasses. The plants are adapted to survive frequent droughts, fires and survive in poor-quality soil.
Temperate forest – Trees have adapted to survive many climates. They also act as Earth’s lungs by producing oxygen from carbon dioxide, restoring oxygen levels in the atmosphere.
Tropical forest – Although tropical forest covers less than 3% of the Earth’s surface, it supports more plants and animals than any other environment on Earth.
Desert – Deserts support drought resistant plants and animals that have adapted to life in a dry climate.
Wetland – Wetlands are comprised of saltwater and freshwater habitats, from swamps and bogs to coastal mangrove forests and are important refuges for animals.
Coral reef – Coral is the skeletons of tiny sea animals called polyps. A coral reef is a rich habitat for wildlife as it provides food and shelter for an amazing array of tropical fish.
Biomes are largely defined by their influencing abiotic factors (climate, soils, vegetation etc).