Conservation Science >
Terrestrial Ecoregions of the World
An ecoregion is defined as a relatively large area of land or water that
contains a geographically distinct assemblage of natural communities.
These communities share a large majority of their species, dynamics, and
environmental conditions. Ecoregions function effectively as conservation
units because they encompass similar biological communities and because
their boundaries roughly coincide with the area over which key ecological
processes most strongly interact. These features can help conservation
planners better achieve representation and persistence of biodiversity
when developing conservation strategies for individual ecoregions.
ITEMS FOR THE WWF ECOREGION COVERAGE
Each item is described below.
ITEM NAME
WIDTH OUTPUT TYPE
REALM
3
3
C
BIOME
4
4
I
ECO_NUM
3
3
I
ECO_ID
6
6
I
ECO_CODE
16
16
C
ECO_NAME
99
99
C
ECO_SYM
3
3
I
GBL_STAT
3
3
I
G200_REGION 99
99
C
G200_BIOME
4
4
I
G200_STAT
3
3
I
G200_NUM
5
5
I
REALM (Biogeographical Realm) - Continental-scale biogeographic
regions defined by differences in geologic and climatic history which
contain distinct assemblages of plants and animals, particularly at higher
taxonomic levels. The realms used are roughly based on Pielou's
"biogeographic regions." (Pielou, E.C., 1979, Biogeography. Wiley, NY) .
The REALM item consists of a two letter code.
AA = Australasia
NA = Nearctic
AN = Antarctic
NT = Neotropics
AT = Afrotropics
OC = Oceania
IM = IndoMalay
PA = Palearctic
BIOME (Formally known as Major Habitat Types or MHTs) - Broad
kinds of ecoregions that:
a) Experience comparable climatic regimes;
b) Have similar vegetation structure;
c) Display similar spatial patterns of biodiversity; and
d) Contain flora and fauna with similar guild structures and life histories.
e) Similar minimum requirements and thresholds for maintaining certain
biodiversity features.
f) Have similar sensitivities to human disturbance.
There are 14 terrestrial biomes. Each biome is given a number (1-14)
shown below:
1 = Tropical & Subtropical Moist Broadleaf Forests
2 = Tropical & Subtropical Dry Broadleaf Forests
3 = Tropical & Subtropical Coniferous Forests
4 = Temperate Broadleaf & Mixed Forests
5 = Temperate Conifer Forests
6 = Boreal Forests/Taiga
7 = Tropical & Subtropical Grasslands, Savannas & Shrublands
8 = Temperate Grasslands, Savannas & Shrublands
9 = Flooded Grasslands & Savannas
10 = Montane Grasslands & Shrublands
11 = Tundra
12 = Mediterranean Forests, Woodlands & Scrub
13 = Deserts & Xeric Shrublands
14 = Mangroves
ECO_NUM (Ecoregion Number) - This number is a unique number for
each ecoregion within each biome nested within each realm.
ECO_ID (Ecoregion ID) - This number is created by combining REALM,
BIOME, and ECO_NUM, thus creating a unique numeric ID for each
ecoregion.
Here are two examples:
Biome
(100s)
Eco_num
(10s)
Eco_ID
New Caledonia Dry
AA = 10000
Forest
2 = 200
2
10202
Guianan Moist
Forest
1 = 100
25
60125
Ecoregion Name
Realm
(10,000s)
NT = 60000
ECO_CODE (Ecoregion Code) - This alphanumeric field is similar to
ECO_ID except that it keeps the two letter REALM code to make it more
user friendly.
Here are two examples:
Ecoregion Name
Realm Biome Eco_num Eco_Code
New Caledonia Dry Forest AA
02
02
AA0202
Guianan Moist Forest
01
25
NT0125
NT
ECO_NAME (Ecoregion Name) - The name of the ecoregion.
ECO_SYM (Ecoregion Symbol) - This item colors the ecoregions in
ArcInfo using a modified colornames shadeset.
GBL_STAT (Global Status) - A 30-year prediction of future conservation
status given current conservation status and trajectories.
1 = CRITICAL OR ENDANGERED
2 = VULNERABLE
3 = RELATIVELY STABLE OR INTACT
G200_REGION (Global 200 Region) - Equals the name of the Global
200 ecoregion that this ecoregion is a part of. If there is no name the
ecoregion is not a Global 200 ecoregion.
G200_BIOME (Global 200 Biome) - The biome of the Global 200 region
that the ecoregion is a component of. Occasionally a Global 200 region is
made up of ecoregions of different biomes. In this case, for a particular
ecoregion, the G200_BIOME may be different from the original biome. For
a description of each Global 200 biome (1-14), see BIOME.
G200_STAT (Global 200 Region Conservation Status) - The "Global
Status" of the Global 200 ecoregions.
1 = CRITICAL OR ENDANGERED
2 = VULNERABLE
3 = RELATIVELY STABLE OR INTACT
G200_NUM (Global 200 Number) - A unique number identifying Global
200 ecoregions.