Natural Habitats ●What are they? ●Types ●Examples

What are natural habitats? A habitat, or biome, is the type of environment in which plant and animals live. A habitat is defined by what kinds of plants grow there, the climate and the geography. Rainforest, coral reefs and the tundra are all habitats where particular kinds of plants and animals might be found.

There are three main types of habitats: Terrestrial Habitats, Freshwater Habitats and Marine Habitats.

Terrestrial Habitats

Desert Any area that receives a very little amount of rainfall a year. Not just the endless, baking sand dunes of popular conception, it includes arid areas in temperate regions. Plants in this habitat are well adapted to conserving water and often have to survive extremely hot days and cold nights when the temperature plummets… Some plants and animals that live in the desert are: the weasel, black mamba, desert roses, cacti, camels, spiders, among others.

Tundra Tundra is the cold, treeless region around the poles that has permafrost as one of its defining features. Even at the height of summer, the soil a few centimetres under the surface remains frozen. The tundra therefore lacks animals that dig deep burrows and plants that require deep root systems. Some animals living there are: the arctic ground squirrel, arctic fox, irish elk, barnacle goose, among others.

Tropical dry forest Tropical dry forests have to survive a long dry season each year, so the predominantly trees shed their leaves to cope with it. Sunlight can then reach the ground, so the season that's bad for the trees is good for the forest floor. Some examples of the wildlife here are: Sloths, Jaguars, Foxes, Eagles. In the side of the plants we have: Grasses, bamboo, among others.

Marine Habitats Approximately 71% of the Earth's surface is covered by the oceans.

Reefs Reefs can be defined as a ridge of rock, coral, or sand just above or below the surface of the sea. They offer myriad places for animals to live and hide, which leads to incredible diversity. Among the animals that can be seen there we have: Several kinds of fish, Hermit crabs, Cone snails, Starfish, and Common Jellyfish.

Open Ocean The open ocean is the sunlit top layer of the ocean beyond the continental shelves. It's referred to as the 'marine desert' because nutrients are lower here than in the shallow seas and life can be scarce. Open ocean predators therefore have to travel fast and far to find food, hence many of them are fast swimmers. Among the animals that can be found here we have: Seals, Whales, Dolphins and Sharks.

Estuaries An estuary is an inlet of the sea, into which flows a river or stream. Fresh and saltwater mix here, so the inhabitants have to cope with both. Some of the animals that can be found here are: Crabs, Crocodiles, Swans, and several kinds of fish. One flower that grows here is the Orchid.

Freshwater Habitats

Lakes and ponds These can be conceived as bodies of water surrounded by land. From the smallest pond (1m square) to the largest lake, this biome provides many opportunities for life to thrive. Some animals and plants living in this places are: lilies, platypus, water buffalo, beavers, several kinds of ducks, among others.

Rivers They are large natural streams of water flowing in a channel to the sea, a lake, or another river. The flora and fauna have to cope with the same thing: water that flows continuously in one direction. If you live here you need a way to avoid being washed downstream and ultimately into the sea. Some of the animals here are: Hippopotamus, Ducks, Snakes, Turtles, and several kinds of fish.

Swamps Swamps are wetland areas where water totally or partially submerges the vegetation, for part or most of the year. Swamp waters flow very slowly, and there are often grasses growing at their margins. Any raised areas within a swamp, are likely to be drier and may therefore have trees growing on them. Some of the animals here are: Frogs, Ducks, Crocodiles, and Snakes. Some of its plants are: Lilies, Orchids, Grasses, among others.

Reference: BBC © 2015 Habitats. Retrieved from: