Natural Ecosystems / Habitats / Biomes
View allAll Photos Tagged ECOSYSTEMS
The trio looking out over the bay - - one of the largest King Penguin colonies in the world - - almost 500,000 in St Andrews Bay, South Georgia Island.
Recovering key species for ecosystem restoration is this years theme; the Antarctic and South Georgia Islands are prime examples where multiple countries have agreed to share in the duties of protecting these ecosystems
King Penguins - South Georgia Island
Tessin
My best photos are here: www.lacerta-bilineata.com/ticino-best-photos-of-southern-...
Whole PHOTO SERIES about my garden on my blog: www.lacerta-bilineata.com/post/western-green-lizard-lacer...
My latest ANIMAL VIDEO (warning, it's a bit shocking): www.youtube.com/watch?v=4T2-Xszz7FI
AUDIO (if you want to hear the sounds of my garden in the early morning): www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfoCTqdAVCE
ABOUT THIS PHOTO:
Partly out of fear to bore the Flickr community with too many lizard photos, I thought it would make for a nice change - yet in keeping with the main theme of my gallery - to give interested nature and reptile fans the opportunity to get a sense of the lacerta bilineata habitat where I photographed all the animals on this page.
So this is the second of a (as yet planned) series of pictures (if people like them there will be more) that will show you where all the reptile "action" took place: my garden in the beautiful community of Monteggio in the Malcantone region of the Ticino, Switzerland.
The pictures were taken over a period of over a decade, so there were obviously some changes in the garden during that time, but If you focus on the palm tree - which has grown considerably over the years but is visible in all the photos I plan to upload - you get a sense of the geography of the place.
In summer, which is when this photo was taken, the micro-climate in this particular area of the Ticino can be almost tropical in the sense that it's hot and very humid with frequent thunderstorms and heavy rain, and I often refer to my garden (half-)jokingly as my "little Swiss rainforest". I guess you can see how animals - particularly lacerta bilineata and other lizards - would feel at home in this "tropical paradise" of mine :-)
Apparently - as I learned in the comments here on Flickr - the occurrence of this particular lizard species is a very good indicator that an ecosystem is intact, and my family and I always took great care not to interfere too much in our garden and let nature roam as free as possible.
In return, over the years we were rewarded for this "calculated inaction" with a wide variety of species of plants, insects, lizards and snakes visiting - or by now residing permanently in - our little nature refuge, some of which I managed to capture on camera.
As mentioned before, if people like these photos or are interested in other flora and fauna from my private jungle, I'll upload one every once in a while between lizards, so let me know in the comments if you're interested in seeing more of these or if I should stick to just reptiles ;-)
As always, thank you so much for your interest and feedback, stay safe - and have a great week everyone!
Lacerta
A rainforest is an area of tall, mostly evergreen trees and a high amount of rainfall. Rainforests are Earth’s oldest living ecosystems, with some surviving in their present form for at least 70 million years. They are incredibly diverse and complex, home to more than half of the world’s plant and animal species—even though they cover just 6% of Earth’s surface. This makes rainforests astoundingly dense with flora and fauna. Rainforests’ rich biodiversity is incredibly important to our well-being and the well-being of our planet.
The Yellowstone River curls around Bumpus Butte and Calcite Springs on it's way north into Montana.
For me it is typical of the beautiful landscapes one finds in the wonderfully varied ecosystem that is Yellowstone.
Enjoy your Sunday!
Peaks have always been my magnet, my prime objective. I've been blessed to see and experience many iconic peaks with their beautiful ecosystems around them. The main target of my 2015 trip to the Last Frontier was to see the highest peak on the continent. For 6 days in the park it was shrouded in clouds, which isn't unusual as it creates it's own weather system. Fortunately I was finally rewarded with several days of it standing tall and magnificent, like this. I was awestruck.
"The Koyukon Athabaskans and other local tribes who inhabit the area around the mountain have for centuries referred to the peak as Dinale or Denali. The name is based on a Koyukon word for "high" or "tall." That it is!
Thanks for taking a peek!
Have a wonderful Friday and weekend!
Music:
"Repeat" by CHRIS COMBETTE, in 'Les Enfants de Gorée' (2010)
open.spotify.com/track/5ErThqPZNKTeyITR3fYNL9?si=hRygwwzP...
Enonkishu Conservancy in the Greater Masai Mara ecosystem, Kenya
Merops bullockoides
Witkapbijeneter
Guêpier à front blanc
Weißstirnspint
Abejaruco Frentiblanco
Gruccione frontebianca
abelharuco-de-testa-branca
Many thanks for your views, favorites and supportive comments.
All rights reserved. Fons Buts©2024
My photos may not be used on websites, blogs or in any other media without my written and explicit permission.
It is standing there like a visitor from another world, this small beech surrounded by large and small spruce trees. It's a late riser, because even though it's mid-April it is still in it's hibernation pajama.
A few years ago, the future tree took the chance when a few of the big ones fell at this point, allowing more light to reach the forest floor. Now it bravely fights it's way up into the canopy before the window can close again.
Since it's life expectancy is significantly higher than that of it's neighbors, there is a chance that one day (in 3 to 400 years) it will tower above everything around it. An ecosystem in itself, which provides shelter and food for tons of other life forms. Until then, however, it is still a long way and not without danger.
I would love to come back here than to take a look.
Wie ein Besucher aus einer anderen Welt steht sie da, diese kleine Buche, umringt von großen und kleinen Fichten. Sie ist ein Spätaufsteher, denn obwohl es schon Mitte April ist, hat sie immer noch den Schlafanzug von Ihrer Winterruhe an.
Vor ein paar Jahren hat sie die Chance genutzt, als an dieser Stelle ein paar der Großen gefallen sind und damit mehr Licht den Waldboden erreicht hat. Nun kämpft sie sich wacker nach oben ins Kronendach bevor sich das Fenster wieder schließen kann.
Da ihre Lebenserwartung deutlich über der Ihrer Nachbarn liegt besteht die Chance, dass sie einmal (so in 3 bis 400 Jahren) alles um sich herum überragt. Ein Ökosystem für sich, welches Unmengen anderer Lebensformen Schutz und Nahrung bietet. Bis dahin, ist es allerdings noch ein weiter und nicht ungefährlicher Weg.
Ich würde dann zu gern hierher zurück kommen, um mir das einmal anzusehen.
more of this on my website at: www.shoot-to-catch.de
Bees play an important role in the pollination of flowering plants, and are the main type of pollinator in ecosystems that contain flowering plants. ... A small number of plants produce nutritious floral oils instead of pollen, which are collected using this type of bees.
Las abejas desempeñan un papel importante en la polinización de las plantas con flores, y son el principal tipo de polinizador en los ecosistemas que contienen plantas con flores. ... Un pequeño número de plantas producen aceites florales nutritivos en lugar de polen, que se recolectan utilizando este tipo de abejas.
Standing 18 metres (59 feet) tall and 200 metres (656 feet) long, the walkway affords a stunning bird’s eye view across the Gardens as well as offering an opportunity to experience the ecosystem of the forest canopy.
Designed by the team behind the London Eye, the construction has been deliberately aged and weathered to blend with its surroundings and to ensure that it enhances the landscape rather than detracting from it. As result, the supporting steel columns with their rust colours take on the form of the surrounding tree trunks.
The walkway itself is designed to move slightly in the wind, so visitors will experience a certain amount of ‘bounce’ as they immerse themselves in the foliage of chestnut, beech and oak trees of different species. Visit in early spring or late autumn and your views are unimpeded by foliage.
visitworldheritage.com/en/eu/the-treetop-walkway/592885ba...
There are 118 steps to the walkway’s platform and a lift is available for the visitors who are unable to use stairs easily, or for customers in wheelchairs. Buggies or strollers are not permitted on the walkway so must be left in the designated area on the ground.
Valle de Estós, La Ribagorza, Huesca, Aragón, España.
El valle de Estós (en aragonés benasqués Vall d'Estós o Ball d'Estós) es un valle pirenaico situado en la comarca aragonesa de La Ribagorza.
Se ubica en la zona noroccidental del valle de Benasque (noreste de la provincia de Huesca) y dentro del parque natural Posets-Maladeta. Al norte de este valle, que es de origen glaciar, está el macizo del Perdiguero (3.221 m), y al sur el macizo del Posets (3.375 m). Este valle, orientado de oeste a este, tiene una longitud aproximada de 12 km y en el fondo de él transcurren las aguas del río Estós, afluente del río Ésera. Clarabides, Gías, Oô, son picos que también superan los 3.000 m y hacen frontera con Francia. La altitud del valle oscila entre los 1.400 m y los 3.375 m.
Desde el año 1994 forma parte del parque natural de Posets-Maladeta por sus importantes valores ecológicos. El paisaje predominante es el de la alta montaña pirenaica con buena representación de los pisos climáticos alpino, subalpino y montano. La flora predominante son los pastizales de montaña y los bosques, de coníferas (pino negro y abeto), de caducifolios (haya, álamo temblón, abedul, sauce, arce y avellano) y como principales arbustos el boj, enebro y rododendro. También se encuentran algunos endemismos pirenaicos. En cuanto a la fauna, encontramos a todos los animales presentes en los ecosistemasde la alta montaña pirenaica destacando una importante población de sarrios y corzos y como aves más representativas el urogallo, la perdiz nival y el quebrantahuesos.
El río Estós, al que afluyen múltiples barrancos y torrentes procedentes de los numerosos ibones (lagos de origen glaciar), de las nieves perpetuas y de algunos de los glaciares más meridionales de Europa, recorre el fondo del valle.
El valle tiene un gran atractivo turístico para los amantes de las excursiones de montaña, de la escalada, el esquí de montaña y el alpinismo. También se practica la pesca de la trucha y la caza mayor (sarrios, corzos y jabalíes). En la época veraniega sus laderas son lugar de pasto de un gran rebaño de vacas.
El acceso al valle se realiza preferentemente a pie a través de una red de senderos bien señalizados, aunque hay una pista forestal restringida al tránsito de vehículos autorizados. A lo largo del camino encontramos numerosas cabañas de pastores y un refugio de montaña guardado (1.895 m) gestionado por un guarda de la Federación Aragonesa de Montaña.
The Estós Valley (in Benasquese Aragonese, Vall d'Estós or Ball d'Estós) is a Pyrenean valley located in the Aragonese region of La Ribagorza.
It lies in the northwestern part of the Benasque Valley (northeast of the province of Huesca) and within the Posets-Maladeta Natural Park. To the north of this valley, which is of glacial origin, is the Perdiguero massif (3,221 m), and to the south, the Posets massif (3,375 m). This valley, oriented from west to east, is approximately 12 km long, and the Estós River, a tributary of the Ésera River, flows through its bottom. Clarabides, Gías, and Oô are peaks that also exceed 3,000 m and form the border with France. The valley's altitude ranges from 1,400 m to 3,375 m.
Since 1994, it has been part of the Posets-Maladeta Natural Park due to its significant ecological value. The predominant landscape is that of the high Pyrenees, with a good representation of the alpine, subalpine, and montane climate zones. The predominant flora consists of mountain pastures and forests, including conifers (black pine and fir), deciduous trees (beech, aspen, birch, willow, maple, and hazel), and, as main shrubs, boxwood, juniper, and rhododendron. Several Pyrenean endemic species are also found. As for the fauna, all the animals present in the high Pyrenean mountain ecosystems are found here, with a significant population of Pyrenean chamois and roe deer, and the most representative birds being the capercaillie, the ptarmigan, and the bearded vulture.
The Estós River, fed by numerous ravines and streams originating from the many glacial lakes (ibones), the permanent snowfields, and some of the southernmost glaciers in Europe, flows through the valley floor.
The valley is a popular tourist destination for mountain hikers, climbers, ski mountaineers, and alpinists. Trout fishing and big game hunting (chamois, roe deer, and wild boar) are also popular. In the summer, its slopes serve as grazing land for a large herd of cattle.
Access to the valley is primarily on foot via a network of well-marked trails, although there is a forest track restricted to authorized vehicles. Along the way, you'll find numerous shepherd's huts and a staffed mountain refuge (1,895 m) managed by a warden from the Aragonese Mountain Federation.
Bicentennial Park is a 40-hectare of parkland located 16 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of City of Parramatta. Bicentennial Park is situated on the shores Homebush Bay and is a part of the Sydney Olympic Park in New South Wales, Australia. The Park is a natural heritage site featuring an important wetland ecosystem and parklands. It offers visitors recreation, nature-based tours, environmental education and outdoor event experiences. The park has picnic areas, playgrounds, pathways and cycle ways, access to the wetlands, salt marsh and bird hides. It also features Lake Belvedere, Peace Monument, Treillage Tower, Sundial, 'Cyrus the Great' statue, the Silent Hearts Memorial Garden and water features. Powells Creek runs through the eastern side of the park. The Homebush Bay wetland is occupied by animals that thrive in the salt water wetlands. Bicentennial Park was created by the state and federal governments during the 1980s, to celebrate Australia's Bicentenary in 1988. The project involved recycling 47.4 hectares of former rubbish dump into a regional recreation area and the conservation of 53 hectares of a wetland ecosystem on the Parramatta River. The park was officially opened on 1 January 1988. 52556
Dragonflies are important in wetland ecosystems, vulnerable to wetland drainage, excess nutrients, pesticides and shoreline "cleaning." They eat a broad range of insects from mosquitoes to beetles to other dragonflies. Over 60 dragonflies are found in Central Florida. Some species do not venture far from the water where they breed, while others, such as the Wandering Glider, migrate long distances.
The four-spotted pennant dragonfly is found throughout the southern tier of the United States as far west as Arizona. It's also been spotted in New Jersey. In Florida, its found in most peninsular counties, including all of South Florida, and in a few panhandle counties as far west as Leon and Wakulla. Like other dragonflies, it likes to be around lakes and ponds, since that's where it spends the first part of its life, and that's where it reproduces. The scientific name of the four-spotted pennant is brachymesia gravida. Mature individuals have a dark, slender body, a large black spot between the nodus and stigma of each wing and white stigmas (the only dragonfly with white stigmas). Juveniles are mostly orange-brown with white spots on the side of the face.
This Four-spotted Pennant is from my archives! (Hope I am right about the ID Mary)
Blue Grosbeak - Typically I see this species in woodland ecosystems, but this bird was in agriculture farmlands. Very unexpected!
©R.C. Clark: Dancing Snake Nature Photography
All rights reserved - Pinal County, AZ
*Peace*Love*Conservation, #canonphotography
[Explore 15/11/2015]
This is a classic view of Maya Bay, made famous by the movie 'The Beach' starring Leonardo DiCaprio. Controversy arose during the making of the film due to 20th Century Fox's bulldozing and landscaping of the natural beach setting of Ko Phi Phi Leh to make it more "paradise-like". The production altered some sand dunes and cleared some coconut trees and grass to widen the beach. Fox set aside a fund to reconstruct and return the beach to its natural state; however, lawsuits were filed by environmentalists who believed the damage to the ecosystem was permanent and restoration attempts had failed. The lawsuits dragged on for years and in 2006 Thailand's Supreme Court upheld a ruling that the filming had harmed the environment and ordered that damage assessments be made. Defendants in the case included 20th Century Fox and some Thai government officials.
The insanely picturesque bay is now protected as a National Park.
By the way, the Flickr map is not quite right in terms of naming!
Ferns provide a variety of contributions to the ecosystems in which they exist. For example, they provide shelter, shade, erosion protection, chemical sequestration, and microhabitats that serve other species. In North America, ferns act as the larval host plant for several species of moths.
Thank you so much for visiting and comment!
I really appreciate it!
1 Kings 6:35 “Solomon also inlaid the doors with cherubim, palm trees, and blooming flowers. He overlaid them with gold that was carefully applied on the engraved work.”
Artist: www.lulagoce.com
Lula Goce is a prominent Spanish Contemporary urban artist bringing powerfully evocative photorealistic scenes. She merges people with nature adding a fresh inspiration to her creations.
She is very much connected to her environment: “Feelings, sensations, people, the surroundings, a ray of sun or some morning mist, laughter and tears. Love”.
L’ART POUR SE RECONNECTER À LA NATURE
Dans cette exposition proposée au cœur du 9e arrondissement de Paris, les sculptures
monumentales d’ours et de gorilles de Michel Bassompierre se font les représentants
emblématiques des espèces en danger de disparition. Les nombreuses menaces qui pèsent sur ces espèces révèlent leur extrême fragilité. Leurs habitats, forêts et banquise, sont mis à mal par la pression du changement climatique et celle des humains. Lorsque les populations de ces « animaux totémiques » déclinent, c'est que
déjà la survie des milliers d'espèces végétales et animales qui composent leurs écosystèmes est compromise
.
Le Poursuivi
Passé Maître dans l’Art de représenter les animaux, Michel Bassompierre est le plus
talentueux sculpteur animalier contemporain. L’artiste transcende le bronze et le marbre pour créer ses ours et ses gorilles tout en courbes et en rondeurs.
Si ses œuvres sont le plus souvent réalisées en bronze ou en marbre de Carrare, certaines de ses pièces monumentales peuvent être en résine.
Michel BASSOMPIERRE est l’un des artistes les plus importants dans le champ de la sculpture animalière contemporaine.
Ses ours, chevaux, éléphants et autres gorilles peuplent son atelier, les galeries et les collections du monde entier.
Séduisante et attachante, son œuvre a parcouru le monde, laissant échapper son bestiaire de marbre et de bronze aux quatre coins du globe.
Michel BASSOMPIERRE a su générer une œuvre puissante témoignant d’une maitrise exceptionnelle du dessin, d’une compréhension parfaite des volumes, d’une approche de la lumière où jamais la lumière ne vient heurter l'ombre.
Michel BASSOMPIERRE se débarrasse de l’anecdote pour aller à l’essentiel : une forme pure, des courbes délicates, une lumière enveloppante qui souligne la rondeur des masses dont émanent tendresse et poésie.
Amid the misty embrace of Cameron Highlands, this striking bird perches on a moss-laden branch, a silent sentinel of its pristine montane forest habitat. The rich biodiversity of this region provides a sanctuary for countless species, showcasing the delicate balance of nature in this cool highland ecosystem. A true gem of Malaysia's natural heritage.
Montreux’s lake view unfolds like a living postcard — calm blue waters stretching toward the towering Alps, their snow-lined ridges glowing in the soft Swiss light. The gentle curve of the Riviera, dotted with vineyards and hillside cottages, meets the dramatic rise of the Dents du Midi, creating a perfect harmony of serenity and grandeur. It is a landscape where the lake breathes quietly, the mountains stand timeless, and every moment feels touched by beauty.
Genesis 19:17 “And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.”
Just A Walk In The Park
Real love is two People that never lie to each other, it is real and true friendship, it is caring with your heart, it is knowing all the good and bad about each other and always being there together, it is a bond that can not be broken, This man and woman were here in the states on vacation form Liverpool England, they love each other so much they even dress the same. I had a long conversation with them, they were very nice People, :)
All photos copyright 2015-2025 by Gerd Michael Kozik No further use of my photos in any form such as websites, print, commercial or private use. Do not use my photos without my permission !
Maya Bay liegt auf der Insel Phi Phi Ley und ist weltberühmt für ihren halbkreisförmigen Strand, der von bis zu 100 Meter hohen Kalksteinfelsen umgeben ist. Der Ort wurde durch den Film The Beach mit Leonardo DiCaprio weltbekannt und zieht seither Besucher aus aller Welt an. Nach einer mehrjährigen Schließung zum Schutz der Natur ist der Zugang mittlerweile streng reguliert, um das empfindliche Ökosystem zu bewahren.
Maya Bay is located on the island of Phi Phi Ley and is world-famous for its crescent-shaped beach surrounded by towering limestone cliffs up to 100 meters high. The bay gained global recognition as the filming location of The Beach starring Leonardo DiCaprio. After being closed for several years to protect its fragile ecosystem, access is now strictly regulated to ensure sustainable tourism.
Thank you for your visit!
Le célèbre navire scientifique, qui sillonne les mers du monde entier jusqu'à la banquise pour étudier les écosystèmes marins, est en escale à Paris. Les visites ont été annulées en raison de l'épidémie de COVID-19