Ecosystems: Types according to their environment and their origin

Ecosystems can be differentiated according to their physical environment and according to their origin.

Surely you have heard about ecosystems and the importance they have for the planet. But did you know that there are different groups of them? Yes that's how it is. To get you out of doubt we are going to talk about the different types of ecosystems that exist, giving some other example.

If you are interested in the subject, I recommend that you continue reading. We will learn to differentiate the different types of ecosystems according to its physical environment and according to its origin, two very important different classifications.

How many are the ecosystems?

There are as many ecosystems as there are environments on this planet.

When we talk about an ecosystem, we refer to the set of various living beings and the environment in which they are found. It is basically an open and dynamic system in which different organisms interact in a given physical space. This has certain climatic and geographical elements in common with other ecosystems of the same type.

There are as many ecosystems as environments on this planet. However, we can classify them into two large groups, in which there are several important subgroups:

  1. Ecosystems according to their physical environment: Terrestrial, aquatic, marine and mixed.
  2. Ecosystems according to their origin: Artificial and natural.

Ecosystems: Types according to their physical environment

There is a great diversity of flora and fauna in the water

It is important to keep in mind that ecosystems develop on a type of substrate or physical environment. Therefore, this is the determinant of the flora and fauna that can inhabit that system. We can therefore say that the physical environment is responsible for providing the conditions and, consequently, the type of living beings that can live in that ecosystem.

As we have already mentioned before, one of the great classifications that can be made of these sets is according to their physical environment. This includes terrestrial, aquatic, marine and mixed ecosystems. Next we will comment on what these types of ecosystems are like.

Terrestrial ecosystems

Let's start with the most explored and well-known of all: The terrestrial. As his name indicates, It takes place on the surface of the Earth regardless of the terrain (rock, sand, ice or normal soil). It should be noted that the vegetation that we can find in these groups is the most diverse and extensive. Within terrestrial ecosystems we can also distinguish different types:

Related article:
What is a Terrestrial Ecosystem?, Characteristics
  • Alpine or mountainous ecosystems: They are those that are above the mountain line where the trees no longer grow. A couple of examples of this set would be the Andes mountain range, which is at an altitude of 3500 meters, and the Himalayas, at more than 6000 meters.
  • Xerophytic scrub: In these systems are mainly succulents, shrubs and magueyes in arid climates. An example for this would be the Cataviña region, which is part of Baja California.
  • Jungles or tropical forests: They are located where there is a lot of rain and temperatures above 24 degrees during most of the year. Among them are Los Tuxtlas in Veracruz and the Lacandona jungle in Chiapas.
  • Desert ecosystems: Of these stands out above all its little vegetation and aridity. Some examples would be the Sonoran and Chihuahuan deserts of Mexico.

Aquatic ecosystems

Apart from terrestrial ecosystems, we also have aquatic ones (and marine ones, which should not be confused). These develop in lakes, streams and rivers with fresh water. They present a great diversity of flora and fauna, which varies according to the type of environment:

Related article:
What are Aquatic Ecosystems? Characteristics
  • Lagos: It is a type of freshwater reservoir found on the surface of the Earth.
  • Rivers: They are basically freshwater courses. These flow from higher regions to lower areas.

Marine ecosystems

On the other hand we have the marine systems that They develop in salt water, that is, in oceans and seas. In them we can find flora and fauna highly adapted to the conditions provided by this type of environment. Marine ones are the largest ecosystems on our planet and can also be divided into several groups:

  • Coral reefs: They are a type of structure made by invertebrates called corals. Various interactions between corals, algae, crustaceans, fish and even dolphins, among many other organisms, take place in them.
  • Macroalgae forests: In the deep sea you can find various forests formed by algae. These serve as a refuge for many of the marine animals and also as food.
  • Open ocean: Since the oceans cover a huge part of the Earth, therefore called the "blue planet", it is not surprising that there is a great diversity of both abiotic and biotic components. These depend mainly on the depth of the water and the latitude.

Mixed ecosystems

As their name suggests, mixed ecosystems they are a mix of two or three different mediums. Therefore, we can distinguish the following:

  • Terrestrial-aquatic ecosystems: They are generated in those areas where rivers flood the land. They would be, for example, swamps and wetlands.
  • Marine-terrestrial ecosystems: They are found in rocky terrain where the tide ebbs and flows.
  • Marine-aquatic-terrestrial ecosystems: They form at the mouths of rivers, where sea and river water meet.

Ecosystems: Types according to their origin

Ecosystems can be of artificial or natural origin.

When classifying ecosystems according to their origin, we can differentiate natural and the artificial ones. The first are those that already exist by themselves, but human intervention can alter them. These include tropical forests, deserts, xerophytic shrublands, coral reefs, swamps, estuaries, and polar regions.

On the other hand, we have artificial ecosystems. These have been built by human beings and, generally, have altered the already existing natural ecosystems. Being sets created by us, they can be found all over the world and are very varied. Some of these artificial ecosystems would be, for example, botanical gardens, agricultural systems, recreational parks, greenhouses and forest plantations, among others. Even private gardens, orchards and urban areas could be considered part of this group.

Broadly speaking, we already know what types of ecosystems exist and how to differentiate them. It should be noted that it is extremely important to conserve them, as they are necessary to maintain a balance on Earth and to preserve the environment.


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