Common Ecosystems

Deserts

• Deserts are ecosystems stemming from a lack of moisture. Plants found in deserts are adapted to thrive during brief periods of rain and remain dormant during vast periods of dryness. They are also adapted to an overabundance of sun. Animals in the desert mainly feed on plants, though desert plants typically have spines or chemically-laden leaves to protect themselves. Large plants, like Joshua trees, have multiple species flock to it. Birds lay their nests in them; lizards and insects make homes in their limbs; and other animals come for shade. All of these aspects of a desert ecosystem take place against a backdrop mainly consisting of rocks and sand.

Tropical Forests

• Tropical forests are found in many parts of the world, including South and Central America and Southeast Asia. They are warm year-round due to their close proximity to the equator and are characterized by having extremely varied species of plants and animals. At the top of a tropical forest is the canopy, where the tops of trees soak up sunlight. Underneath is the understory and the forest floor. There, many plants grow much larger than in other parts of the world in order to soak up so much of the diffused sunlight that comes from between the canopy trees as possible. Rotting and decaying plants make food for insects and fungi. Tropical birds and mammals are also present. Tropical forests are home to about half of the plant and animal species on the planet.

Ocean Ecosystems

• Ocean ecosystems cover over 70 percent of the Earth surface. They are aquatic ecosystems defined by being abundantly salt-water. They include the oceans, seas and other smaller ecosystems. Coral reefs are part of these ecosystems, acting as underwater harbors for large and varied species of aquatic plants and animals. Estuaries, or ecosystems where the ocean meets a freshwater river, are also considered ocean ecosystems. Along the coast, ocean ecosystems include salt marshes, which are grasslands flooded by oceans.

Tundra

• Tundra is similar to desert but are characterized by extremely cold climates and a low biological diversity. They are still dry and barren ecosystems. There are two types of these ecosystems: arctic and alpine tundra. Arctic tundra is found around the North Pole extending down into northern parts of Russia, Western Europe and Canada. Low shrubs, mosses, grasses and flowers are mainly found there. Animals living in the arctic tundra include arctic foxes, caribou, snow buntings and salmon. Alpine tundra is located at high altitudes on mountains across the globe. Small-leafed shrubs, small trees and animals such as mountain goats are common there.