Natural Ecosystems / Habitats / Biomes
View allAll Photos Tagged Ecosystem
One of around 38 species of blowflies that can be found in the UK with the green bottle fly being the most stunning one out of all of them. Flies are a very important part of our ecosystem and a vital peace of the jigsaw of life. They help in the process of breaking down any animal corpses they could litter our land and in turn provide and add important nutrients to the soil which will help in the aid of plant growth as well as pollinating flowers. Without pollinators we would have eighty per sent less food on our plates.
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.
In a biogeographic definition, paramo is any intertropical mountain ecosystem, characterized by shrubby vegetation that generally occurs from altitudes of about 3,000 to 4,000 meters or up to 5,000 meters, that is, in regions above the forest line. continuous but still below the permanent snow line. It is found in East Africa, New Guinea, and Central and South America. However, since in each of these regions this ecosystem has a specific name, when discussing Paramos, we refer specifically to Andean Paramos.
In this strict sense of the term, all Paramos are located in the neotropical zone, mainly in northwestern South America, present in Venezuela, Colombia, Peru and Ecuador. The ecosystem occupies over 30,000 km² of South America and represents 7% of Ecuador's territory. In absolute terms, Colombia is home to 50% of the extent of Paramos (in its three branches of the Andes) and the largest Paramo in the world (Sumapaz).
Paramos' climate is characterized by wide daily fluctuations in temperature and humidity. In general, cold and humid, can undergo a sudden and drastic change in which temperatures fluctuate from below freezing to 30 ° C plus in a daily freeze-thaw cycle. High altitude in tropical locations produces a special, cold, low air density atmosphere that allows for greater dispersion of ultraviolet radiation (light and heat). This climate can be summed up in the phrase "winter every night and summer every day."
In Paramo ecosystems, soils are generally recent, of glacial and volcanic origin, and many are still in formation. Its structure is a combination of organic material that decomposes very slowly in cold weather with volcanic ash. They usually have low pH (acidity) because of the abundance of moisture and high content of organic matter. These characteristics contribute to soil water retention, which in turn is the basis of an essential environmental service: the constant storage and distribution of clean water to lower places.
The largest and most known area is the Páramo grass, which covers large areas of the mountain ranges. It extends from approximately 3,500 to 4,100 m in height, and is mainly composed of grasses and small shrubs.
Le Guêpier d'Europe est une espèce d'oiseau appartenant à la famille des Meropidae. En raison de l'effet qu'il a sur l'environnement aride, certains auteurs le considèrent comme aménageur d'écosystème.
Elephants are among the most intelligent of the creatures with whom we share the planet, with complex consciousnesses that are capable of strong emotions. Across Africa they have inspired respect from the people that share the landscape with them, giving them a strong cultural significance. As icons of the continent elephants are tourism magnets, attracting funding that helps protect wilderness areas. They are also keystone species, playing an important role in maintaining the biodiversity of the ecosystems in which they live.
During the dry season, elephants use their tusks to dig for water. This not only allows the elephants to survive in dry environments and when droughts strike, but also provides water for other animals that share harsh habitats.
When forest elephants eat, they create gaps in the vegetation. These gaps allow new plants to grow and create pathways for other smaller animals to use. They are also one of the major ways in which trees disperse their seeds; some species rely entirely upon elephants for seed dispersal.
On the savannahs, elephants feeding on tree sprouts and shrubs help to keep the plains open and able to support the plains game that inhabit these ecosystems.
Wherever they live, elephants leave dung that is full of seeds from the many plants they eat. When this dung is deposited the seeds are sown and grow into new grasses, bushes and trees, boosting the health of the savannah ecosystem.
Sidenote: (This kind of digital art is certainly not one of my strengths, I don't use photoshop so cutting out the model to place into a background wasn't as easy as I thought. I still have much to learn with this but felt proud enough with what I had achieved to publish this with regards to the subject. Elephants face so many more threats than loss of habitat, as do many more wild life species.)
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I do appreciate you all ❤️
adult bird found in Enonkishu Conservancy in the Greater Masai Mara ecosystem, Kenya
a migratory bee-eater that breeds in semi-arid areas in the southern Sahara and that from October to March can be found in Uganda and parts of Kenya, where it can be seen foraging in woodland, open forest and along the edges of riparian or gallery forest.
Merops albicollis
witkeelbijeneter
Guêpier à gorge blanche
Weißkehlspint
Abejaruco gorjiblanco
Gruccione golabianca
Abelharuco-de-garganta-branca
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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
male of the Defassa subspecies in Mara North Conservancy, Kenya
a large and robust African antelope found in areas with tall grass or reed beds . Also in woodland if there is nearby grassland available to feed. Always near water.
kobus ellipsiprymnus
waterbok
cobe à croissant ou waterbuck
Wasserbock
antílope acuático, cobo de agua o cobo untuoso
cobo o antilope d'acqua
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All rights reserved.
Fons Buts©2025
My photos may not be used on websites, blogs or in any other media without my written and explicit permission.
Lemek Conservancy in the Greater Masai Mara ecosystem , Kenya
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
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.
🌐 Paraje Mora, Corrientes, Argentina
🇦🇷 Jote cabeza amarilla
🔬 Cathartes burrovianus
🇵🇾 Yryvu-akâ-sa'yju
🇺🇸 Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture
🇧🇷 Urubu-de-cabeça-amarela
A wetland is "an ecosystem that arises when inundation by water produces soils dominated by anaerobic processes, which, in turn, forces the biota, particularly rooted plants, to adapt to flooding." There are four main kinds of wetlands – marsh, swamp, bog and fen (bogs and fens being types of mires). Some experts also recognize wet meadows and aquatic ecosystems as additional wetland types. The largest wetlands in the world include the swamp forests of the Amazon and the peatlands of Siberia. Source Wikipedia.
This male had been in a fight with the male in the image
" Lions, a mating pair " shown in the first comment box and posted 2 weeks ago. This one was lost the fight and had some injuries, mainly on his back.
During the 3 days that I was in the area he kept on following the mating couple
Lemek Conservancy in the Greater Masai Mara ecosystem , Kenya
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
Various plants in the arboretum in Rogów. It's nice to walk there among this greenery :)
The Rogów Arboretum, established in 1925, is the Station of Protection and Shaping of Forest Ecosystems. It covers an area of 54 ha and is of an exceptional character as compared with other centers of the type in Poland or Europe, because it has been built from the very beginning as a research – didactic object and, moreover, it was located in the forest and has been tightly connected with the forest experimental study from the moment of its origin. The Arboretum consists of three basic parts: the dendrological collections (about 22 ha), the forest experimental plots (about 18 ha) and the alpine garden (1.5 ha).
The dendrological collections that is tree and shrub individuals planted either separately or in groups or small area forms, are mainly concentrated in the central and southern part of the Arboretum, covering a total of 2350 species and varieties. The Arboretum’s specialty is its collection of maples and shrubs from China. This segment is managed naturally, having the look of more a forest park than a typical botanical garden. The trees give the shelter and the proper microclimate for the introduced trees and shrubs.
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Bujna roślinność w arboretum w Rogowie. Miło tak spacerować tam wśród zieleni :)
Arboretum w Rogowie – należy do grupy najcenniejszych, najbogatszych w gatunki i odmiany drzew i krzewów tego typu ogrodów w Europie. Położony jest w dawnym siedlisku leśym i ma charakter parku leśnego. Od początku istnienia (1925 r.) podlega pod Wydział Leśny SGGW. Na jego obszarze znajdują się jedne z najbogatszych i najciekawszych kolekcji drzew i krzewów Europy Środkowo-Wschodniej. Najchetniej odwiedzanym miejscem w ogrodzie jest alpinarium. Oprócz wyniesionych na 2 m ponad poziom gruntu skalniaków, założono tu ciąg strumyków, kilka oczek wodnych i 5-arowy staw z wyspą. W rogowskim alpinarium można obejrzeć ponad 400 gatunków i odmian roślin, pochodzących z gór całego świata. W większości są to byliny, ale nie tylko. Rosną tu także krzewy i drzewa terenów górzystych, np. majestatyczne świerki serbskie, kształtne limby czy srebrzyste jodły kalifornijskie.
Mara North Conservancy, Kenya
coracias caudatus
vorkstaartscharrelaar
rollier à longs brins
Gabelracke
Carraca Lila
Ghiandaia marina pettolilla
rolieiro-de-peito-lilás
Many thanks for your views, favorites and supportive comments.
All rights reserved.
Fons Buts©2025
My photos may not be used on websites, blogs or in any other media without my written and explicit permission.
A bridge, and many species of birds, trees, grasses and aquatic plants in, around, and over Creekfield Lake in Brazos Bend State Park, Needville, TX.
For the Remote theme of Flickr Friday.
The Laguna Garzón Bridge in Uruguay is a 202-meter circular structure designed by Rafael Viñoly. It connects the department of Rocha (East) with Maldonado (West), crossing the Laguna Garzón—a body of water separated from the Atlantic Ocean by a narrow strip of sand.
Its unusual ring shape serves two main purposes: it inherently forces drivers to slow down for safety and transforms the crossing into a pedestrian-friendly public space with panoramic views. Engineered with widely spaced pillars, the design also minimizes continuous water shading, protecting the lagoon's fragile ecosystem and its status as an Important Bird Area. In the distance, toward the upper left, the seaside resort of José Ignacio can be seen.
Wetlands are a distinct ecosystem that benefit people through ecosystem services that include water purification, groundwater replenishment, stabilization of shorelines and storm protection, water storage and flood control, processing of carbon (carbon fixation, decomposition and sequestration), other nutrients and pollutants, and support of plants and animals. Put bluntly, no wetlands, no sustainable life for humans.
Source Wikipedia.
World Wetlands Day, February 2, 2022.
A micro-ecosystem of mushrooms and lichens nestled in the bark of a red maple tree in Eagle River, Vilas County, northern Wisconsin
SE203576m
Joshua 2:24 “And they said unto Joshua, Truly Jehovah hath delivered into our hands all the land; and moreover all the inhabitants of the land do melt away before us.”
“Urban Ecosystem Restoration” mural painted by Millo for Street Art For Mankind
From the Street Art For Mankind instagram post:
It features the artist’s signature clumsy character in a surreal setting, attempting to reclaim his space in an urban jungle that has forgotten our primary needs. It poetically and powerfully underscores the importance of green spaces in urban environments. The character demonstrates the strength of these spaces, their transformative impact on our reality, and how they enhance our well-being. It’s a clear invitation to reconnect with nature in our cities.
Seen in the arboretum in Rogów :)
The Rogów Arboretum, established in 1925, is the Station of Protection and Shaping of Forest Ecosystems. It covers an area of 54 ha and is of an exceptional character as compared with other centers of the type in Poland or Europe, because it has been built from the very beginning as a research – didactic object and, moreover, it was located in the forest and has been tightly connected with the forest experimental study from the moment of its origin. The Arboretum consists of three basic parts: the dendrological collections (about 22 ha), the forest experimental plots (about 18 ha) and the alpine garden (1.5 ha).
The dendrological collections that is tree and shrub individuals planted either separately or in groups or small area forms, are mainly concentrated in the central and southern part of the Arboretum, covering a total of 2350 species and varieties. The Arboretum’s specialty is its collection of maples and shrubs from China. This segment is managed naturally, having the look of more a forest park than a typical botanical garden. The trees give the shelter and the proper microclimate for the introduced trees and shrubs.
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Biały rododendron w arboretum w Rogowie :)
Arboretum w Rogowie – należy do grupy najcenniejszych, najbogatszych w gatunki i odmiany drzew i krzewów tego typu ogrodów w Europie. Położony jest w dawnym siedlisku leśnym i ma charakter parku leśnego. Od początku istnienia (1925 r.) podlega pod Wydział Leśny SGGW. Na jego obszarze znajdują się jedne z najbogatszych i najciekawszych kolekcji drzew i krzewów Europy Środkowo-Wschodniej. Najchętniej odwiedzanym miejscem w ogrodzie jest alpinarium. Oprócz wyniesionych na 2 m ponad poziom gruntu skalniaków, założono tu ciąg strumyków, kilka oczek wodnych i 5-arowy staw z wyspą. W rogowskim alpinarium można obejrzeć ponad 400 gatunków i odmian roślin, pochodzących z gór całego świata. W większości są to byliny, ale nie tylko. Rosną tu także krzewy i drzewa terenów górzystych, np. majestatyczne świerki serbskie, kształtne limby czy srebrzyste jodły kalifornijskie.
Next up in my mountain ecosystem set is this Rocky Mountain Goat posing among the boulders during a windy morning on Mt. Blue Sky, Colorado.
Continuing my coastal ecosystem series with this preening Brown Pelican.
Brown Pelicans live in estuaries and coastal marine habitats along both the east and west coasts. This one was found perched and preening atop a weathered wharf pole near a fish cleaning station in Lamar, Texas.
Male African bush elephant (Loxodonta africana), sometimes called "ecosystem engineers", are vital to maintaining the delta's health. By forging paths through reeds and pulling up roots, they create clear channels that allow water to flow more freely, shaping the delta's iconic landscape.
Okavanga Delta, Botswana.
Conservation status: Endangered
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Thinking About Tomorrow
Young Buck in the Grasslands
White-tailed deer
Nature Preserve Trail
Captured w/Canon EOS Rebel T6
© All rights reserved.
Brittle stars, an alternate common name is the 'serpent stars', are a species-rich class of echinoderms with outstanding regenerative abilities. Living under rocks or in crevices with only the tips of the arms exposed, they are known to be seafloor ecosystem engineers. They reshape the seafloor sediment surface and influence the distribution of other seafloor species. They also provide nutrition to fish, sea stars and crab predators.
Their presence in a sediment sample is one indicator of a healthy benthic community. They embody nature's fragility and resilience.
Shot from the Three Pools shoreline during low tide.
After several images from a desert ecosystem, I'm moving to a high altitude/mountain ecosystem for my next few posts.
Kicking off the series with this young Yellow-bellied Marmot perched on a rock at around 12,000 ft. (3,657 m) in Rocky Mountain National Park.
TMI: your ART & NATURE
October Contest - Fresh Water Wonder
www.flickr.com/groups/impressionists/
~ai/pixlr
The organisms in the riparian zone respond to changes in river channel location and patterns of flow. The ecosystem of rivers is generally described by the river continuum concept, which has some additions and refinements to allow for dams and waterfalls and temporary extensive flooding. The concept describes the river as a system in which the physical parameters, the availability of food particles and the composition of the ecosystem are continuously changing along its length. The food (energy) that remains from the upstream part is used downstream.
The general pattern is that the first order streams contain particulate matter (decaying leaves from the surrounding forests) which is processed there by shredders like Plecoptera larvae. The products of these shredders are used by collectors, such as Hydropsychidae, and further downstream algae that create the primary production become the main food source of the organisms. All changes are gradual and the distribution of each species can be described as a normal curve, with the highest density where the conditions are optimal. In rivers succession is virtually absent and the composition of the ecosystem stays fixed in time.
For my video; youtu.be/Zd7IUeNHgCk?si=huEZz1b7WPjaeKDy,
Port Moody, Port Moody, British Columbia, Canada.
At the end of Burrard Inlet’s Port Moody Arm, the Shoreline Trail includes two sections of boardwalk, four bridges, and a raised gravel pathway around Pigeon Cove, and a paved multi-use pathway. This area is one of Port Moody’s most widely used trails, hosting over 230,000 visits a year. In addition to being an important recreational area for the community, this is a critical ecosystem area for fish, birds, and other wildlife.
The boardwalks were originally constructed by City crews over thirty years ago as part of a larger trail system connecting Rocky Point Park to Old Orchard Park. These unique wooden structures are now aging and are frequently covered by water during king tides and storm surges.
Shoreline Trail Boardwalk Replacement Project.
The construction of the project has now been split into two phases with the first phase scheduled to begin in September of 2023 and the second phase in the summer of 2024.
www.portmoody.ca/en/city-services/shoreline-boardwalk-rep...
Hey fellow reef enthusiasts and followers!
About eight months ago, I faced a challenging moment in my marine adventure. While I was away on vacation, the caretaker of my beloved reef tank accidentally dosed it with a chemical that led to a complete wipeout. After a decade of nurturing a vibrant ecosystem filled with both hard and soft corals, it was a tough blow.
However, as any marine biologist will tell you, maintaining a delicate balance of hard and soft corals in a home reef tank is an art that comes with challenges and a thin margin for error. Each species has its own unique requirements, making their cohabitation tricky but incredibly rewarding.
Now, after seven months of hard work and dedication, I’m excited to share this photo of my complete restart! While it’s heart-wrenching to face setbacks like this, it’s also a chance to learn, rebuild, and create something even more spectacular. Join me on this journey as I work to establish a thriving reef community once again!
Happy reefing, everyone! 🌊✨