Hobbies And Interests
Aquatic
The marine ecosystem is the largest on the plant as it covers 71 percent of the earth's surface. The marine ecosystem includes deep bodies of water like oceans and seas, as well as shallow bodies like estuaries. Organisms living in this ecosystem include corals, cephalopods and sharks. Freshwater ecosystems include wetlands, streams, rivers and ponds. They cover 0.8 percent of the earth's surface.
Grasslands
This terrestrial ecosystem is mainly made up of either all grass, such as a prairie, or mostly grass with a small quantity of trees, like a savanna. Herbivores commonly call grasslands their home, as do insectivores, meaning carnivores with a diet comprising mainly of insects. Savannas house many predators too.
Deserts
Little plant life or wildlife exists in this ecosystem due to sparse rainfall and high temperatures. Most desert plants, like cacti, will hold water. Camels, insects, birds and reptiles live in the desert, but have adapted to the hot and dry conditions. The desert ecosystem takes up 17 percent of the earth's surface.
Forests
Forests are in many ways the opposite of deserts; they are full of plants and wildlife. Forests can be split into five categories. Temperate evergreen forests are made up mainly of ferns and mosses; trees also have spiked leaves. Tropical evergreen forests hold tall trees and have lots of vegetation; they receive between 80 and 400 inches of rainfall annually. Temperate deciduous forests appear in areas with large quantities of rainfall; the trees shed their leaves in the winter. Tropical deciduous forests contain large numbers of bushes, shrubs and trees. Taiga forests have subzero temperatures for half of the year and grow many evergreen conifers.
Artificial
Artificial ecosystems are any ecosystems created or managed by man. There are many varieties of artificial ecosystems, including cities, towns and aquariums. Even gardens fall into this category as they are managed by humans; plants are added and removed at will.