Alternative site for the Global ecosystem typology with additional information for ecosystem profiles and indicative maps.
This site is maintained by jrfep
Expert working groups for each realm delineated candidate ecosystem functional groups (Level 3) through a development and review process. They identified gradients in key assembly filters for each biome and identified major ecosystem and species traits that vary along them. In terrestrial environments, key assembly gradients include water deficit, seasonality, temperature, nutrient deficiency, fire activity and herbivory. In subterranean environments, substrate structure is a major factor. In freshwater environments, gradients in flow continuity and velocity, water body size, seasonal freezing and salinity are key assembly filters. In marine environments, depth gradients in light, vertical and horizontal movement of nutrients and substrate stability and particle size are major assembly filters.
Experts delineated candidate functional groups by identifying distinctive sets of traits associated with particular segments of the assembly filter space defined by the gradients.
For each candidate ecosystem functional group, we represented the key drivers and traits in simplified conceptual models derived from the generic assembly model (Keith et al. in review) as a basis for review and description. We adjusted and augmented descriptions based on published reviews (see cited references in the descriptive profiles below) and in consultation with broader networks of specialists (e.g. through IUCN’s Commission on Ecosystem Management biome specialist groups.
Finally, we prepared indicative global distribution maps from available spatial data. In some cases, high-resolution published maps were available (e.g. Murray et al. 2019). In other cases, we prepared coarse resolution maps using environmental proxies (e.g. Harris et al. 2004) or by identifying ecoregions documented as containing major or minor occurrences of ecosystem types referrable to respective functional groups (Spalding et al. 2007; Abell et al. 2008; Dinerstein et al. 2017). Occurrence information was gleaned from descriptions of ecoregions, references cited in the descriptive profiles for respective functional groups and personal observations of the authors.
Below is a list of 102 Ecosystem Functional Groups with links to their profiles.