What is Earth’s habitat: definition, types and animals

The terrestrial habitat is the place where The different species live of plants and animals on The Earth’s Surface (Geosphere). The main characteristic of these habitats is the presence of oxygen in the atmosphere and the possibility to suffer sudden changes in temperature and other meteorological phenomena.

Each terrestrial habitat has a series of characteristics that make it suitable for the survival of the species that live in it. These characteristics are determined by the climate of the region, as well as by other physical factors (such as the relief of mountains and mountain ranges) and chemical factors, such as soil composition.

On the other hand, human intervention is also very representative when studying the different terrestrial habitats, since according to the level of intervention in the nature of the human being we can find habitats that maintain their most primitive and natural characteristics or, on the contrary, artificial habitats that have been modified or created for some specific purpose.

It is important to differentiate the term habitat from other concepts used in ecology, such as ecosystems or biotope. In these other ecology articles, you can learn to differentiate these and other usual terms in the world of ecology:

• What is an ecosystem
• Biotope: What is and examples
• What is Biochenosis – Explanation with examples
• Difference between habitat and ecological niche

In each region of the world, the types of terrestrial habitats that we can find have various weather, environmental and geographical characteristics that allow differentiating them from each other. To know them more closely, let’s put some Examples of the different types of terrestrial habitats:

Deserts and savannas

With arid climate and few rainfall, desert and savannas habitats have little vegetation and the presence of nightclubs that are hidden during the day to avoid high temperatures. We can find extensive deserts both in America (Atacama desert, between Chile, Argentina, Bolivia and Peru), and in Africa (the well -known Sabanas of Acacia of East Africa), Asia (Gobi desert, between northern China and southern Mongolia) and Oceania (Gibson desert in Western Australia).

Forests

With abundant vegetation and the predominance of trees, forests are the habitat of numerous terrestrial animals that achieve refuge and food between plants. The dense forests of the boreal regions such as those of Finland, as well as temperate forests (Pyrenees and Alps in Europe) and sub-tropical forests, such as the imposing Amazonas, stand out.

Praderas

Also known as grasslands or steppes, the meadows constitute an habitat of temperate thickets in which numerous herbivorous species graze. The Patagonian steppe in Argentina, as well as the northern prairies in the United States and the Steppe Dauria located east of Lake Baikal, in Russia, stand out.

Mountains and Altiplanicie

The altitude and earrings that characterize them make the animals and plants that inhabit are adapted to their reliefs. Among the most amazing mountainous habitats in the world are Himalaya (Asia) and Alpamayo (South America).

Let’s see in the following section which animals live in these types of terrestrial habitats.

All terrestrial habitat animals are characterized by the need to obtain oxygen for breathing, which they carry out by lungs. Its diet is based on the acquisition of plants or other animals. In this way, we can find within terrestrial habitat animals, both small invertebrate animals, such as arthropods and molluscs, as well as vertebrates belonging to groups of mammals, birds, amphibians and reptiles.

Among them, we can highlight the great mammals that live in deserts and savannas as:

• The elephant
• The giraffe
• The zebras
• The lions

In this other post you can learn more about the general characteristics of terrestrial mammals.

We also highlight impressive birds raptors or prey, whose air-terrestrial habitat It is located in mountains and highlands:

• The hawks
• The condors
• The owls
• The owls

Here you can learn more about aerial animals, their types and names with images.

As for land habitat animals that live in forests around the world, we can highlight arthropods and mollusks as:

• The tarantulas
• The Cepieés
• The terrestrial snails
• Land slugs

As for Prairies habitat animals:

• The horses
• The sheep
• The cows
• The Prairie puppies
• The foxes
• The weasels

In this other ecology article we show you more animals in the meadow.

If you want to read more articles similar to What is Earth’s habitat: definition, types and animalswe recommend that you enter our category of ecosystems.