Biotope: What is and examples

We will start by clarify What is a biotope. As indicated by etymology, bio- is a prefix that alludes to life and -tope to the placeboth taken from ancient Greek. But let’s go a little further. Let’s open another dictionary. As is usually done when you want to know the meaning of any term, yours is to seek its definition in the dictionary.

And to that we go. We discovered that the dictionary (the RAE, for more signs) Define the term “biotope” As a biological term, of unique meaning, which refers to the “territory or vital space whose environmental conditions are adequate for it to develop a certain community of living beings.”

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Now that we know the basics about the concept of biotope, we will talk about What are the factors of biotope Or, rather, its components. The factors of the Biotope composition To consider there are three:

• Substratum: They are the soils or surface in which life develops, that is, on which living beings grow, relate, move, etc.
• Half: It is the water and/or the air in one place.
• Abiotic factors: Abiotic factors are the factors that have no life, so the previous ones are included here but also the temperature, light, humidity, water salinity, rocks, gases such as oxygen, soil nutrients, etc. Here we explain the biotic and abiotic factors: what are and differences.

An ecosystem, as is known, groups different populations of flora and fauna. They share that place and, logically, also the resources, although that sharing means in most situations to compete for them, either facing themselves directly, helping or, for example, adapting to the environment to take advantage of the resources for which there is less competition.

Anyway, the truth is that resources constitute a means of life for the species that make up the biodiversity that the resources of the same means share. In this media, we can distinguish, on the one hand, Biocenosis (flora and fauna) and, on the other hand, the so -called geological or biotope atmosphere.

In this way, the Biotopethat is to say, Climate, water, soil typeamong other components, forms an ecosystem when we find life, that flora and fauna or biocenosis. The sum of both, Biotope and biocenosis, translates into an ecosystembecause only its association allows a certain space to house biodiversity.

The association of Biocenosis and Biotopetherefore, It constitutes an ecosystem. There are many natural habitats that provide these relatively stable environmental conditions. And in them it is where this interaction between both elements occurs, giving rise to wooded, river or any other type.

The life has its own dynamicsresult of these interactions between their different elements, which can be of very different types, among others, at the level of trophic relationships or relationships between species or energy exchanges.

Unlike a habitat, a term similar to biotope, but more linked to species, this is related to Biochenosisunderstood as a set of organisms of different spices that coexist in the space known as Biotope.

To expand this knowledge we encourage you to read these other articles about Biotope and Biocenosis: difference, relationship and examples and what is biocenosis with examples.

Unlike what happens with other terms such as ecology or environment, the term “biotope” is limited to the technical field. It is not usually used in everyday conversations, but knowing its meaning is important to improve our general culture and, of course, also to understand the importance of environmental care.

Break the balance that exists in an ecosystem, that relationship that is established between biotope and biocenosis. Its violation can occur at different levels. In the same way that the ecosphere is the ecosystem ecosystem, the biotope can approach from a more or less concrete approach. Thus, it is an essential concept.

That is, we can study an aquatic ecosystem at different levels, in general terms, whether oceanic (marine ecosystem) or focusing on fresh water and even the hydrological cycle as a planetary phenomenon, but also put the zoom to focus on a mountain stream or, for example, on the ecosystem of coral reef. And, although The sum of different biotopes and biological communities form unique realities, the need for preservation is a common denominator of all of them.

Did you know that there are several types of biotope? These are their types and some examples of biotope:

• Aquatic Biotope: Oceans, seas, lakes and rivers. In these areas the biotope is made up of water, salinity levels, substrate or soil, water temperature, etc.
• Terrestrial Biotope: Praderas, Mountains, Bosuqes… In these areas, the air and the types of gases that it contain and at what levels, the soil or substrate, the rocks, the salinity levels of the soils, the nutrients of the soils, the temperature of the air, etc. stand out at what levels, etc.
• Mixed Biotope: combination of the previous two, such as coastlines or marshes. In these are more components, since those of the two main types are combined.

Biotope, which until recently was a term specialized basically in ecology and biology, in recent years is gaining popularity thanks to the proposals and initiatives for restoration, creation and regeneration of environments and natural areas. In these cases, the meaning of Biotope is that of small -scale ecological zones integrated into everyday life. Some examples of biotope of this type are:

• Promotion of green roofs.
• River regeneration to return quality.
• Conservation of trees in cultivated areas.
• Creation of natural green areas along highways.
• Creation of gardens and green spaces in the urban field.
• Ecological private gardens.

If you want to read more articles similar to Biotope: What is and exampleswe recommend that you enter our category of ecosystems.