Logo: Habitats

Habitats

Habitats refer to the conditions of the environment necessary for life to prosper. These conditions vary widely between species but can include such elements as water and food availability, temperature range, or absence of predators. Habitats can be defined very narrowly for one population of a particular species or more widely by type such as forests or coastal habitats that host many different species.

Important for the following ecosystem services:

Buffering and attenuation of mass flows

Buffering and attenuation of mass flows allows the transport and storage of sediment by rivers, lakes and seas.

Climate regulation

Global climate regulation is provided by nature through the long-term storage of carbon dioxide in soils, vegetable biomass, and the oceans. At a regional level, the climate is regulated by ocean currents and winds while, at local and micro-levels, vegetation can modify temperatures, humidity, and wind speeds.

Filtration

Filtering, sequestering, storing, and accumulating pollutants is carried out by a range of organisms including, algae, animals, microorganisms and vascular and non-vascular plants.

Flood and storm protection

Flood and storm protection is provided by the sheltering, buffering and attenuating effects of natural and planted vegetation.

Maintain nursery habitats

Nurseries are habitats that make a significantly high contribution to the reproduction of individuals from a particular species, where juveniles occur at higher densities, avoid predation more successfully, or grow faster than in other habitats.

Mediation of sensory impacts

Vegetation is the main (natural) barrier used to reduce noise and light pollution, limiting the impact it can have on human health and the environment.

Soil quality

Soil quality is provided through weathering processes, which maintain bio-geochemical conditions of soils including fertility and soil structure, and decomposition and fixing processes, which enables nitrogen fixing, nitrification and mineralisation of dead organic material.

Bio-remediation

Bio-remediation is a natural process whereby living organisms such as micro-organisms, plants, algae, and some animals degrade, reduce, and/or detoxify contaminants.

Disease control

Ecosystems play important roles in regulation of diseases for human populations as well as for wild and domesticated flora and fauna.

Fibres and other materials

Fibres and other materials from plants, algae and animals are directly used or processed for a variety of purposes. This includes wood, timber, and fibres which are not further processed, as well as material for production, such as cellulose, cotton, and dyes, and plant, animal and algal material for fodder and fertiliser use.

Mass stabilisation and erosion control

Mass stabilisation and erosion control is delivered through vegetation cover protected and stabilising terrestrial, coastal and marine ecosystems, coastal wetlands and dunes. Vegetation on slopes also prevents avalanches and landslides, and mangroves, sea grass and macroalgae provide erosion protection of coasts and sediments.

Pest control

Pest control and invasive alien species management is provided through direct introduction and maintenance of populations of the predators of the pest or the invasive species, landscaping areas to encourage habitats for pest reduction, and the manufacture of a family of natural biocides based on natural toxins to pests.

Water flow maintenance

The hydrological cycle, also called water cycle or hydrologic cycle, is the system that enables circulation of water through the Earth’s atmosphere, land, and oceans. The hydrological cycle is responsible for recharge of groundwater sources (i.e. aquifers) and maintenance of surface water flows.

Influenced by the following drivers of environmental change:

Data needs

  • Change in habitat quality

Global asset layer