Item talk:Q169177

Type	URL	parent URL	label	aliases	description
realm			atmospheric realm		gaseous medium and its suspended particulate liquids and solids above the terrestrial realm, extending to the altitudinal limits of life
realm	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/M		marine realm		all connected saline ocean waters characterized by waves, tides and currents
biome	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/M1	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/M	marine shelf biome		distributed globally between the shoreline and deep sea-floor biomes and is dominated by benthic productivity
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/M1.1	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/M1	seagrass meadows		shallow, subtidal systems are the only marine ecosystems with an abundance of flowering plants; typically found mostly on soft, sandy or muddy substrates around relatively sheltered coastlines
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/M1.2	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/M1	kelp forests		kelps (large, brown macroalgae up to 30m in length) form the basis of these highly productive systems found on shallow, subtidal rocky reefs around cold temperate and polar coastlines
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/M1.3	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/M1	photic coral reefs		slow growing biogenic structures are formed by the calcium carbonate skeletons of certain coral species that depend on symbiotic relationships with algae
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/M1.4	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/M1	shellfish beds and reefs		productive intertidal or subtidal biogenic ecosystems are formed and dominated by sessile molluscs like mussels or oysters, around temperate or tropical coasts and estuaries globally
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/M1.5	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/M1	photo-limited marine animal forests		subtidal biogenic ecosystems, formed by either a single species or a community of sessile filter feeders such as sponges, ascidians or aphotic corals, are found mostly on hard substrates
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/M1.6	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/M1	subtidal rocky reefs		complex habitat structure derived from irregular rock forms, rather than biogenic features, supporting a diverse epibenthic fauna, with a range of mobile benthic animals and sessile organisms
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/M1.7	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/M1	subtidal sand beds		elatively unstable shelf ecosystems in turbulent waters support moderately diverse communities made up largely of consumers, like invertebrate detritivores and filter-feeders, including burrowing polychaetes, crustaceans, echinoderms, and molluscs
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/M1.8	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/M1	subtidal mud plains		low energy, muddy ocean shelf ecosystems are moderately productive and typically dominated by microalgal and bacterial primary producers, microbial decomposers, and larger deposit feeders like burrowing polychaete worms and molluscs
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/M1.9	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/M1	upwelling zones		productive regions are often associated with eastern-boundary current systems on the transition between marine shelves and the open ocean, forming where divergence of surface water causes upwelling of cold, nutrient-rich water
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/M1.10	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/M1	rhodolith/maërl beds		slow growing biogenic structures are formed by long-lived coralline algae that absorb a wide spectrum of light, provide energy to the system and contribute to nutrient cycles
biome	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/M2	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/M	pelagic ocean waters biome		largest biome on earth, comprising the open-ocean water column across all latitudes
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/M2.1	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/M2	epipelagic ocean waters		uppermost ocean layer (0-200m depth) most influenced by the atmosphere, and is defined and structured by light availability
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/M2.2	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/M2	mesopelagic ocean water		very low light ""twilight zone"" (~200-1000m depth) divides the surface epipelagic waters from the deep ocean
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/M2.3	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/M2	bathypelagic ocean waters		deep (~1000-3000m depth), open-ocean ecosystems receive no sunlight and rely on detritus from upper layers for nutrients
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/M2.4	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/M2	abyssopelagic ocean waters		greater depths (~3,000-6,000m) than bathypelagic systems, these very deep open ocean ecosystems receive no light and rely solely on debris from upper layers for nutrients
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/M2.5	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/M2	sea ice		seasonally frozen surface waters in polar oceans are one of the most dynamic ecosystems on earth
biome	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/M3	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/M	deep sea floors biome		covers the entire oceanic benthos below ~250 m depth, where there is not enough light to support primary productivity through photosynthesis
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/M3.1	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/M3	continental and island slopes		lightless slopes of sand, mud and rocky outrops run down from the shallower shelf break to the very deep abyssal basins
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/M3.2	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/M3	submarine canyons		submarine canyons house some of the most productive and diverse deep sea ecosystems
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/M3.3	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/M3	abyssal plains		ecosystems on the very deep seafloors (3000-6000m) of all oceans support a low biomass but high diversity of small invertebrates and microbes, along with larger crustaceans, demersal fish and echinoderms like starfish
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/M3.4	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/M3	seamounts, ridges and plateaus		deep, lightless ecosystems are centred on major geomorphic features of deep ocean floors
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/M3.5	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/M3	deepwater biogenic beds		relatively complex three-dimensional structures are formed by slow-growing, filter-feeders like sponges, corals and bivalves
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/M3.6	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/M3	hadal trenches and troughs		deepest ocean trenches, up to 11 km beneath the surface, are the least explored marine ecosystems
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/M3.7	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/M3	chemosynthetic-based-ecosystems	CBE	very deep, high pressure ecosystems, primary productivity is fuelled by chemical compounds as energy sources instead of light (chemoautotrophy)
biome	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/M4	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/M	anthropogenic marine biome		humans have constructed, deposited, or dumped artificial structures in the oceans that either confine managed marine organisms or attract marine biota that would not otherwise occupy such locations
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/M4.1	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/M4	submerged artificial structures		submerged structures, including rubble piles, ship wrecks, oil and gas infrastructure and artificial reefs provide vertically oriented hard substrates for marine organisms in coastal waters worldwide
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/M4.2	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/M4	marine aquafarms		high-productivity marine aquafarms are enclosed areas for the breeding, rearing, and harvesting of marine plants and animals, including finfish like salmon, molluscs, crustaceans, and algae
realm	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/F		freshwater realm		all permanent and temporary freshwater bodies as well as saline water bodies that are not directly connected to the oceans, and are characterized by water regimes defined by frequency, duration, flow velocity, depth and extent of inundation
biome	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/F1	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/F	rivers and streams biome		include running water ecosystems, flowing from elevated uplands or underground springs to deltas, estuaries, and lakes; defined primarily by their linear structure, unidirectional flow regimes, and close interaction with the surrounding landscape
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/F1.1	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/F1	permanent upland streams		small rivers or streams in mountainous or hilly areas are characterised by steep gradients and fast flow
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/F1.2	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/F1	permanent lowland rivers		rivers with slow continuous flows up to 10,000m3/s are common at low elevations throughout tropical and temperate parts of the world
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/F1.3	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/F1	freeze-thaw rivers and streams		streams and large rivers at high latitudes or altitudes where surface water freezes in winter
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/F1.4	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/F1	seasonal upland streams		seasonal rainfall patterns in large parts of the tropics and temperate regions generate flows that are hugely variable in narrow and steep upland stream
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/F1.5	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/F1	seasonal lowland rivers		medium to large rivers in tropical, subtropical and temperate lowlands have markedly seasonal flows due to seasonal water supply in the catchments
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/F1.6	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/F1	episodic arid rivers		dry most of the time, but punctuated by high-volume, short duration flows that transport nutrients and stimulate high productivity by algae and zooplankton
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/F1.7	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/F1	large lowland rivers		very large rivers transport massive volumes of freshwater (>10,000m3/s) through flat lowlands, mostly in tropical or subtropical regions
biome	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/F2	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/F	lakes biome		includes lentic ecosystems defined by their still waters, varying in area, depth, water regime, and connectivity to other aquatic systems across a global distribution
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/F2.1	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/F2	large permanent freshwater lakes		Large permanent freshwater lakes, generally exceeding 100 km2, are prominent landscape features connected to one or more rivers either terminally or as flow-through systems
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/F2.2	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/F2	small permanent freshwater lakes		With a surface area of up to 100 km2, the diversity of small permanent lakes, ponds and pools depends on their size, depth and connectivity
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/F2.3	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/F2	seasonal freshwater lakes		Small seasonal lakes, pools and rock holes have plants and animals specialised to seasonally changing wet and dry conditions in temperate and wet-dry tropical regions
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/F2.4	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/F2	freeze-thaw freshwater lakes		freshwater lakes vary enormously in size and distribution, providing a wide range of habitats for many organisms, which undergo a succession of emergence during lake thaw
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/F2.5	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/F2	ephemeral freshwater lakes		shallow lakes that are mostly dry, and then fill for weeks or months, before drying again
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/F2.6	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/F2	permanent salt and soda lakes		lakes that are usually large and shallow in semi-arid regions, with high concentrations of salts, mediated by inflows of water
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/F2.7	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/F2	ephemeral salt lakes		Ephemeral salt lakes in semi-arid and arid regions are shallow, with extreme variation in salinity during wet-dry cycles that limits life to a low diversity of specialised salt-tolerant species
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/F2.8	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/F2	artesian springs and oases		Surface waterbodies fed by (often warm) groundwaters rising to the surface are scattered in dry landscapes of Africa, the Middle East, Eurasia, North America and Australia, but also occur in humid landscapes
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/F2.9	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/F2	geothermal pools and wetlands		Geothermal pools and associated wetlands are fed by deeply circulating groundwater that mixes with magma and hot rocks in volcanically active regions
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/F2.10	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/F2	subglacial lakes		These hidden lakes exist beneath permanent ice sheets, sometimes tens to thousands of metres below, mostly in Antarctica and Greenland
biome	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/F3	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/F	artificial wetlands biome		includes built structures that hold or transfer water for human use, treatment, or disposal
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/F3.1	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/F3	large reservoirs		Rivers are impounded by the construction of dam walls, creating large freshwater reservoirs, mostly 15–250 m deep
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/F3.2	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/F3	constructed lacustrine wetlands		shallow, open water bodies created for various purposes such as agriculture, mining, stormwater management, and wastewater treatment.
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/F3.3	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/F3	rice paddies		artificial wetlands, primarily in tropical to warm temperate climates, filled by rainfall or river water supporting rice cultivation and with simple food webs adapted to seasonal flooding and drying cycles
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/F3.4	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/F3	freshwater aquafarms		Artificial ponds or cages in freshwater bodies, primarily in Asia, used for commercial fish and crustacean production; involve intensive management of water, nutrients, and species, resulting in low habitat diversity and primary production
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/F3.5	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/F3	canals, ditches and drains		transport freshwater to and from urban and rural areas, particularly in temperate and subtropical regions, associated with cities and agriculture
realm	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/T		terrestrial realm		all dry land, its vegetation cover, proximate atmosphere and substrate (soils, rocks) to the rooting depth of plants, and associated animals and microbes
biome	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/biomes/T1	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/T	tropical-subtropical forests biome		includes moderate to highly productive ecosystems with closed tree canopies occurring at lower latitudes north and south of the equator; fragmented occurrences extend to the subtropics in suitable mesoclimates
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/biomes/T1.1	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/biomes/T1	tropical/subtropical lowland rainforests		closed-canopy forests are renowned for their complex structure and high primary productivity, which support high functional and taxonomic diversity
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/biomes/T1.2	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/biomes/T1	tropical/subtropical dry forests and thickets		closed-canopy forests and thickets have drought-deciduous or semi-deciduous phenology in at least some woody plants (rarely fully evergreen)
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/biomes/T1.3	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/biomes/T1	tropical/subtropical montane rainforests		closed-canopy evergreen forests on tropical mountains usually have a single-layer low tree canopy (~5–20m tall) with small leaf sizes (microphyll-notophyll)
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/biomes/T1.4	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/biomes/T1	tropical heath forests		structurally simple evergreen forests with high densities of thin stems, closed to open uniform canopies, typically 5–20 m tall and uniform
biome	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/T2	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/T	temperate-boreal forests and woodlands biome		includes moderate to highly productive tree-dominated systems with a wide range of physiognomic and structural expressions distributed from warm-temperate to boreal latitudes
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/T2.1	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/T2	boreal and temperate high montane forests and woodlands		evergreen, structurally simple forests and woodlands in cold climates dominated by needle-leaf conifers; may include a subdominant component of deciduous trees, especially in disturbed sites
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/T2.2	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/T2	deciduous temperate forests		structurally simple, winter deciduous forests with high productivity in summer; winter dormancy, hibernation and migration are common life histories among plants and animals enabling cold avoidance
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/T2.3	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/T2	oceanic cool temperate rainforests		broadleaf and needleleaf rainforests in cool temperate climates have evergreen or semi-deciduous tree canopies with high LAI and mostly nanophyll-microphyll foliage
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/T2.4	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/T2	warm temperate laurophyll forests		relatively productive but structurally simple closed-canopy forests with high LAI occur in humid warm-temperate to subtropical climates
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/T2.5	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/T2	temperate pyric humid forests		moist, multi-layered forests in wet-temperate climates with complex spatial structure and very high biomass
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/T2.6	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/T2	temperate pyric sclerophyll forests and woodlands		forests and woodlands, typically 10–30-m tall with an open evergreen sclerophyllous tree canopy and low-moderate LAI grow in fire-prone temperate landscapes
biome	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/T3	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/T	shrublands and shrubby woodlands biome		includes oligotrophic systems occurring on acidic, sandy soils that are often shallow or skeletal
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/T3.1	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/T3	seasonally dry tropical shrublands		moderate-productivity, mostly evergreen shrublands, shrubby grasslands and low, open forests (generally <6-m tall) are limited by nutritional poverty and strong seasonal drought in the tropical winter months
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/T3.2	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/T3	seasonally dry temperate heath and shrublands		Sclerophyllous, evergreen shrublands are distinctive ecosystems of humid and subhumid climates in mid-latitudes
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/T3.3	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/T3	cool temperate heathlands		mixed graminoid shrublands restricted to cool-temperate maritime environments
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/T3.4	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/T3	young rocky pavements, lava flows and screes		Vegetation dominated by cryptogams (lichens, bryophytes) develops on skeletal rocky substrates and may have scattered shrubs
biome	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/T4	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/T	savannas and grasslands biome		closely linked to a mostly continuous ground layer of grasses that contribute moderate to very high levels of primary productivity driven by strongly seasonal water surplus and deficit cycles
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/T4.1	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/T4	trophic savannas		grassy woodlands and grasslands are dominated by C4 grasses with stoloniferous, rhizomatous and tussock growth forms that are kept short by vertebrate grazers
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/T4.2	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/T4	pyric tussock savannas		Grassy woodlands and grasslands are dominated by C4 tussock grasses, with some C3 grasses in the Americas and variable tree cover
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/T4.3	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/T4	hummock savannas		open woodlands dominated by C4 hummock grasses (C3 and stoloniferous grasses are absent) with sclerophyllous trees and shrubs
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/T4.4	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/T4	temperate woodlands		structurally simple woodlands are characterised by space between open tree crowns and a ground layer with tussock grasses, interstitial forbs, and a variable shrub component
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/T4.5	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/T4	temperate subhumid grasslands		Structurally simple tussock grasslands with interstitial forbs occur in subhumid temperate climates
biome	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/T5	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/T	deserts and semi-deserts biome		includes low to very low biomass ecosystems occurring in arid or semi-arid climates, principally associated with the subtropical high-pressure belts and major continental rain shadows
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/T5.1	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/T5	semi-desert steppe		mixed semi-deserts are dominated by suffrutescent (i.e. with a woody base) or subsucculent (semi-fleshy) perennial shrubs and tussock grasses
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/T5.2	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/T5	succulent or thorny deserts and semi-deserts		characterised by long-lived perennial plants, many with spines and/or succulent stem tissues or leaves
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/T5.3	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/T5	sclerophyll hot deserts and semi-deserts		arid systems dominated by hard-leaved (sclerophyll) vegetation have relatively high diversity and local endemism, notably among plants, reptiles, and small mammals
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/T5.4	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/T5	cool deserts and semi-deserts		arid systems where productivity is limited by both low precipitation and cold temperatures but varies spatially in response to soil texture, salinity, and water table depth
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/T5.5	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/T5	hyper-arid deserts		hyper-arid deserts show extremely low productivity and biomass and are limited by low precipitation and extreme temperatures
biome	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/T6	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/T	polar/alpine (cryogenic) biome		encompasses the extensive Arctic and Antarctic regions as well as high mountainous areas across all continental land masses
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/T6.1	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/T6	ice sheets, glaciers and perennial snowfields		In these icy systems, extreme cold and periodic blizzards limit productivity and diversity to very low levels, and trophic networks are truncated
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/T6.2	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/T6	polar/alpine cliffs, screes, outcrops and lava flows		Low biomass systems with very low productivity constrained by extreme cold, desiccating winds, skeletal substrates, periodic mass movement, and, in polar regions, by seasonally low light intensity
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/T6.3	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/T6	polar tundra and deserts		low productivity autotrophic ecosystems are limited by winter dormancy during deep winter snow cover, extreme cold temperatures and frost during spring thaw, short growing seasons, desiccating winds, and seasonally low light intensity
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/T6.4	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/T6	temperate alpine grasslands and shrublands		Mountain systems beyond the cold climatic treeline are dominated by grasses, herbs, or low shrubs (typically <1 m tall)
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/T6.5	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/T6	tropical alpine grasslands and herbfields		Treeless mountain systems dominated by an open to dense cover of cold-tolerant C3 perennial tussock grasses, herbs, small shrubs, and distinctive arborescent rosette or cushion growth forms
biome	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/T7	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/T	intensive land-use biome		includes major anthropogenic enterprises of cropping, pastoralism, plantation farming, and urbanisation; human intervention is a dominating influence on this biome
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/T7.1	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/T7	annual croplands		High-productivity croplands are maintained by the intensive anthropogenic supplementation of nutrients, water, and artificial disturbance regimes (e.g. annual cultivation), translocation (e.g. sowing), and harvesting of annual plants
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/T7.2	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/T7	sown pastures and fields		Structurally simple, high-productivity pastures maintained by the intensive anthropogenic supplementation of nutrients (more rarely water) and artificial disturbance regimes, translocation, and harvesting of animals or plants
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/T7.3	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/T7	plantations		moderate to high productivity autotrophic systems are established by the translocation (i.e. planting or seeding) of woody perennial plants
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/T7.4	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/T7	urban and industrial ecosystems		structurally complex and highly heterogeneous fine-scale spatial mosaics of diverse patch types that may be recognised in fine-scale land use classifications
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/T7.5	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/T7	derived semi-natural pastures and old fields		Extensive ‘semi-natural’ grasslands and open shrublands exist where woody components of vegetation have been removed or greatly modified for agricultural land uses
realm	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/S		subterranean realm		includes the earth’s crust and subsurface voids characterized by an absence or very low intensity of sunlight
biome	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/S1	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/S	subterranean lithic biome		includes non-aquatic lithic systems beneath the earth’s surface
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/S1.1	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/S1	aerobic caves		Dark subterranean air-filled voids support simple, low productivity systems
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/S1.2	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/S1	endolithic systems		Lithic matrices and their microscopic cracks and cavities host microbial communities
biome	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/S2	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/S	anthropogenic subterranean voids biome		single functional group of ecosystems that owe their genesis to excavation by humans, including underground mines, transport tunnels, tombs, defence and energy installations, and other infrastructure
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/S2.1	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/S2	anthropogenic subterranean voids		low-productivity systems in subterranean air-filled voids created by excavation
transitional realm	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/MT	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/M https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/T	marine-terrestrial transitional realm	transitional marine-terrestrial realm	characterised by steep environmental gradients in desiccation, salinity and wave and tide disturbance, occupied by contrasting shoreline ecosystems
biome	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/MT1	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/MT	shorelines biome		comprises naturally formed, intertidal abiogenic habitats situated at the interface between land and sea
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/MT1.1	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/MT1	rocky shorelines		Waves, tides and a gradient of exposure drive the structure and function of these productive intertidal ecosystems found mostly on high energy coasts
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/MT1.2	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/MT1	muddy shorelines		Mudflats occur on low-energy coastlines. Mud and silt, often from nearby rivers, protect the burrowing organisms living in these ecosystems from common shoreline stressors
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/MT1.3	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/MT1	sandy shorelines		Beaches, sand bars and spits are exposed to waves and tides on moderate-high energy coasts, and rely on drift seaweed and surf-zone phytoplankton for nutrients
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/MT1.4	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/MT1	boulder and cobble shores		Cobbled and boulder shores are exposed to wave action and tides, and are periodically restructured by high-energy storm events
biome	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/MT2	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/MT	supralittoral coastal biome		marks the landward extent of the transition from marine to terrestrial biomes
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/MT2.1	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/MT2	coastal shrublands and grasslands		grasslands, shrublands, and low forests on coastlines above the high tide mark where they are exposed to harsh conditions of salt influx, desiccating winds and sunshine, and disturbances associated with storms or unstable substrates
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/MT2.2	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/MT2	large seabird and pinniped colonies		relatively isolated islands and shores with large concentrations of roosting or nesting seabirds and semiaquatic mammals such as seals and walrus
biome	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/MT3	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/MT	anthropogenic shorelines biome		distributed globally where urbanised and industrial areas adjoin the coast, and includes some more remote structures such as artificial islands
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/MT3.1	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/MT3	artificial shorelines		constructed sea walls, breakwaters, piers, docks, tidal canals, islands and other coastal infrastructure create habitat for marine plants and animals around ports, harbours, and other intensively settled coastal areas
transitional realm	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/SF	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/S https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/F	subterranean-freshwater transitional realm	transitional subterranean-freshwater realm	unique ecosystems where the subterranean realm meets the interface of freshwater and marine realms
biome	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/SF1	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/SF	subterranean freshwaters biome		includes streams, small lakes and aquifers beneath the earth’s surface and potentially has the largest volume of water of all the freshwater biomes
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/SF1.1	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/SF1	underground streams and pools		Subterranean streams, pools, and aquatic voids (flooded caves) are low-productivity systems devoid of light
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/SF1.2	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/SF1	groundwater ecosystems		low-productivity ecosystems found within or below groundwater zones; include aquifers and hyporheic zones beneath rivers and lakes
biome	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/SF2	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/SF	anthropogenic subterranean freshwaters biome		includes aquatic systems in underground canals, drains, sewers, water pipes, and flooded mines constructed by humans; usually well connected to surface waters
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/SF2.1	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/SF2	water pipes and subterranean canals		Constructed subterranean canals and water pipes are dark, low-productivity systems acting as conduits for water, nutrients, and biota between artificial or natural freshwater ecosystems
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/SF2.2	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/SF2	flooded mines and other voids		Abandoned and now flooded underground mines frequently contain extensive reservoirs of geothermally warmed groundwater, colonized by stygobitic invertebrates from nearby natural subterranean habitats
transitional realm	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/FM	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/F https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/M	freshwater-marine transitional realm	transitional freshwater-marine realm	occupied by brackish aquatic ecosystems on marine coasts; shares features of the freshwater and the marine realms, and transitions to brackish tidal systems
biome	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/FM1	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/FM	semi-confined transitional waters biome		includes coastal inlets that are influenced by inputs of both fresh and marine water from terrestrial catchments and ocean tides, waves, and currents
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/FM1.1	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/FM1	deepwater coastal inlets		Deepwater coastal inlets (e.g. fjords, sea lochs) are semi-confined aquatic systems with many features of open oceans
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/FM1.2	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/FM1	permanently open riverine estuaries and bays		mosaic systems characterised by high spatial and temporal variabilities in structure and function, which depend on coastal geomorphology, ratios of freshwater inflows to marine waters and tidal volume, and seasonality of climate
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/FM1.3	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/FM1	intermittently closed and open lakes and lagoons		coastal water bodies that have high spatial and temporal variability in structure and function, which depends largely on the status of the lagoonal entrance (open or closed)
transitional realm	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/MFT	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/M https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/F https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/T	marine-freshwater-terrestrial transitional realm	transitional marine-freshwater-terrestrial realm	the interface of marine and terrestrial seepage is sometimes influenced by seepage or outflow of freshwater, supporting intertidal wetlands and deltaic systems
biome	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/MFT1	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/MFT	brackish tidal biome		associated with prograding depositional shorelines at the interface of terrestrial, freshwater, and marine realms
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/MFT1.1	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/MFT1	coastal river deltas		prograding depositional systems, shaped by freshwater flows and influenced by wave and tidal flow regimes and substrate composition
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/MFT1.2	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/MFT1	intertidal forests and shrublands		Mangroves are structural engineers and possess traits including pneumatophores, salt excretion glands, vivipary, and propagule buoyancy that promote survival and recruitment in poorly aerated, saline, mobile, and tidally inundated substrates
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/MFT1.3	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/MFT1	coastal saltmarshes and reedbeds		vegetated by salt-tolerant forbs, grasses, and shrubs, with fine-scale mosaics related to strong local hydrological and salinity gradients, as well as competition and facilitation
transitional realm	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/SM	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/S https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/M	subterranean-marine transitional realm	transitional subterranean-marine realm	unique ecosystems also occur where the subterranean realm meets the interface of freshwater and marine realms
biome	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/SM1	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/SM	subterranean tidal biome		includes coastal pools and subterranean voids with a partially or entirely submerged connection to marine waters
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/SM1.1	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/SM1	anchialine caves		Anchialine caves contain bodies of saline or brackish waters with subterranean connections to the sea
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/SM1.2	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/SM1	anchialine pools		tidally influenced bodies of brackish water with subterranean connections to the sea and groundwater, but with significant or full exposure to open air and sunlight
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/SM1.3	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/SM1	sea caves	marine caves littoral caves	Sea caves are usually formed by wave action abrasion in various rock types
transitional realm	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/TF	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/T https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/F	terrestrial-freshwater transitional realm	transitional terrestrial-freshwater realm	interface between terrestrial and freshwater realms, occupied by palustrine wetlands, some of which accumulate peat under impeded substrate drainage
biome	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/TF1	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/TF	palustrine wetlands biome		includes vegetated floodplains, groundwater seeps, and mires with permanent or intermittent surface water
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/TF1.1	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/TF1	tropical flooded forests and peat forests		Closed-canopy forests in tropical swamps and riparian zones have high biomass and LAI, with unseasonal growth and reproductive phenology
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/TF1.2	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/TF1	subtropical/temperate forested wetlands		hydrophilic forests with thickets that have an open to closed tree or shrub canopy, 2–40 m tall, dependent on flood regimes or groundwater lenses
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/TF1.3	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/TF1	permanent marshes		shallow, permanently inundated freshwater wetlands lacking woody vegetation, dominated instead by emergent macrophytes growing in extensive, often monospecific groves of rhizomatous grasses, sedges, rushes, or reeds
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/TF1.4	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/TF1	seasonal floodplain marshes		high-productivity floodplain wetlands fed regularly by large inputs of allochthonous resources that drive strong bottom-up regulation, and smaller areas of disconnected oligotrophic wetlands
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/TF1.5	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/TF1	episodic arid floodplains		Highly episodic freshwater floodplains are distinct from, but associated with, adjacent river channels, which provide water and sediment during flooding
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/TF1.6	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/TF1	boreal, temperate and montane peat bogs		patterned peatlands account for up to 40% of global soil carbon are dominated by a dense cover (high LAI) of hydrophytic mosses, graminoids, and shrubs, sometimes with scattered trees
functional group	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/TF1.7	https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/realms/TF1	boreal and temperate fens		peatland ecosystems dominated by hydrophytic grasses, sedges, or forbs