Habitats

Terrestrial habitats dominated by trees forming a closed or nearly closed canopy. Forests include tropical rainforests, temperate deciduous forests, boreal coniferous forests, and mangrove forests, …

Open ocean waters beyond the continental shelf, from the surface to the mesopelagic zone. This vast habitat supports pelagic species including cetaceans, tunas, sharks, seabirds, …

The benthic zone of the deep ocean below 200m depth, including abyssal plains, hydrothermal vents, and deep-sea trenches. This habitat supports chemosynthetic ecosystems and species …

The zone between high and low tide marks along coastlines. Intertidal habitats include rocky shores, sandy beaches, mudflats, and salt marshes, supporting organisms adapted to …

Coastal areas above the high-tide mark influenced by sea spray, storm surges, and saline conditions. This includes coastal dunes, sea cliffs, and supratidal pools that …

Human-created terrestrial habitats including arable land, pastures, plantations, urban areas, parks, and gardens. While heavily modified, these habitats can support significant biodiversity including synanthropic species …

Human-created aquatic habitats including reservoirs, canals, aquaculture ponds, and water treatment areas. These artificial water bodies can serve as important refugia for waterbirds, amphibians, and …

Areas dominated by non-native plant species that have been deliberately or accidentally introduced. This includes invasive monocultures that have replaced native habitats and can significantly …

Habitats that do not fit into any of the standard IUCN classification categories. This includes transitional zones, novel ecosystems, and environments undergoing rapid change that …

Species whose habitat requirements have not yet been assessed or documented. This category highlights gaps in ecological knowledge and the need for further field research …

Tropical and subtropical grasslands with scattered trees and shrubs. Savannas are characterized by distinct wet and dry seasons, supporting large herbivore populations and iconic predator-prey …

Habitats dominated by shrubs, including Mediterranean-type shrublands, heathlands, and maquis. These ecosystems are often fire-adapted and support diverse endemic plant species and specialized animal communities.

Open habitats dominated by grasses with few or no trees, including temperate prairies, steppes, and alpine meadows. Grasslands support large grazing mammals, ground-nesting birds, and …

Freshwater habitats where the land is periodically or permanently saturated with water. Inland wetlands include swamps, marshes, bogs, fens, rivers, lakes, and seasonal floodplains, providing …

Terrestrial habitats dominated by rock surfaces, including mountain peaks, cliffs, plateaus, and scree slopes. These environments host specialized species adapted to extreme temperature variations, thin …

Underground habitats including caves, lava tubes, and aquifers. These light-free environments support unique troglobitic and stygobitic fauna with specialized adaptations such as loss of pigmentation …

Arid and semi-arid habitats receiving less than 250mm of annual rainfall. Deserts include hot sandy deserts, cold deserts, and coastal fog deserts, supporting drought-adapted species …

Shallow ocean waters over the continental shelf, from the low-tide mark to about 200m depth. The neritic zone includes coral reefs, seagrass beds, and kelp …