Habitats Classification Scheme (Version 3.0)

The habitat types listed below are standard terms used to describe the major habitat/s in which taxa occur. If recorded, these habitats are listed on the Fact Sheet page for each taxon.

The three levels of the hierarchy are self-explanatory, as they use familiar habitat terms that take into account biogeography, latitudinal zonation and depth in marine systems. The inland aquatic habitats are based primarily on the classification system of wetland types used by the Ramsar Convention (see http://www.ramsar.org/ris/key_ris.htm#type). It is acknowledged that the classification scheme used here is not satisfactory, hence a review of the scheme is underway.

  • 1 Forest
    • 1.1 Boreal
    • 1.2 Subarctic
    • 1.3 Subantarctic
    • 1.4 Temperate
    • 1.5 Subtropical/Tropical Dry
    • 1.6 Subtropical/Tropical Moist Lowland
    • 1.7 Subtropical/Tropical Mangrove Vegetation Above High Tide Level
    • 1.8 Subtropical/Tropical Swamp
    • 1.9 Subtropical/Tropical Moist Montane
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  • 2 Savanna
    • 2.1 Dry Savanna
    • 2.2 Moist Savana
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  • 3 Shrubland
    • 3.1 Subarctic
    • 3.2 Subantarctic
    • 3.3 Boreal
    • 3.4 Temperate
    • 3.5 Subtropical/Tropical Dry
    • 3.6 Subtropical/Tropical Moist
    • 3.7 Subtropical/Tropical High Altitude
    • 3.8 Mediterranean-type Shrubby Vegetation
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  • 4 Grassland
    • 4.1 Tundra
    • 4.2 Subarctic
    • 4.3 Subantarctic
    • 4.4 Temperate
    • 4.5 Subtropical/Tropical Dry Lowland
    • 4.6 Subtropical/Tropical Seasonally Wet/Flooded Lowland
    • 4.7 Subtropical/Tropical High Altitude
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  • 5 Wetlands (inland)
    • 5.1 Permanent Rivers/Streams/Creeks [includes waterfalls]
    • 5.2 Seasonal/Intermittent/Irregular Rivers/Streams/Creeks
    • 5.3 Shrub Dominated Wetlands
    • 5.4 Bogs, Marshes, Swamps, Fens, Peatlands
    • 5.5 Permanent Freshwater Lakes [over 8 ha]
    • 5.6 Seasonal/Intermittent Freshwater Lakes [over 8 ha]
    • 5.7 Permanent Freshwater Marshes/Pools [under 8 ha]
    • 5.8 Seasonal/Intermittent Freshwater Marshes/Pools [under 8 ha]
    • 5.9 Freshwater Springs and Oases
    • 5.10 Tundra Wetlands [includes pools and temporary waters from snowmelt]
    • 5.11 Alpine Wetlands [includes temporary waters from snowmelt]
    • 5.12 Geothermal Wetlands
    • 5.13 Permanent Inland Deltas
    • 5.14 Permanent Saline, Brackish or Alkaline Lakes
    • 5.15 Seasonal/Intermittent Saline, Brackish or Alkaline Lakes and Flats
    • 5.16 Permanent Saline, Brackish or Alkaline Marshes/Pools
    • 5.17 Seasonal/Intermittent Saline, Brackish or Alkaline Marshes/Pools
    • 5.18 Karst and Other Subterranean Hydrological Systems [inland]
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  • 6 Rocky Areas [e.g. inland cliffs, mountain peaks]
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  • 7 Caves and Subterranean Habitats (non-aquatic)
    • 7.1 Caves
    • 7.2 Other Subterranean Habitats
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  • 8 Desert
    • 8.1 Hot
    • 8.2 Temperate
    • 8.3 Cold
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  • 9 Marine Neritic (Submergent Nearshore Continental Shelf or Oceanic Island)
    • 9.1 Pelagic
    • 9.2 Subtidal Rock and Rocky Reefs
    • 9.3 Subtidal Loose Rock/Pebble/Gravel
    • 9.4 Subtidal Sandy
    • 9.5 Subtidal Sandy-Mud
    • 9.6 Subtidal Muddy
    • 9.7 Macroalgal/Kelp
    • 9.8 Coral Reef
      • 9.8.1 Outer Reef Channel
      • 9.8.2 Back Slope
      • 9.8.3 Foreslope (Outer Reef Slope)
      • 9.8.4 Lagoon
      • 9.8.5 Inter-Reef Soft Substrate
      • 9.8.6 Inter-Reef Rubble Substrate
    • 9.9 Seagrass (Submerged)
    • 9.10 Estuaries
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  • 10 Marine Oceanic
    • 10.1 Epipelagic (0-200 m)
    • 10.2 Mesopelagic (200-1,000 m)
    • 10.3 Bathypelagic (1,000-4,000 m)
    • 10.4 Abyssopelagic (4,000-6,000 m)
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  • 11 Marine Deep Benthic
    • 11.1 Continental Slope/Bathyl Zone (200-4,000 m)
      • 11.1.1 Hard Substrate
      • 11.1.2 Soft Substrate
    • 11.2 Abyssal Plain (4,000-6,000 m)
    • 11.3 Abyssal Mountain/Hills (4,000-6,000 m)
    • 11.4 Hadal/Deep Sea Trench (>6,000 m)
    • 11.5 Seamount
    • 11.6 Deep Sea Vents (Rifts/Seeps)
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  • 12 Marine Intertidal
    • 12.1 Rocky Shoreline
    • 12.2 Sandy Shoreline and/or Beaches, Sand Bars, Spits, Etc.
    • 12.3 Shingle and/or Pebble Shoreline and/or Beaches
    • 12.4 Mud Flats and Salt Flats
    • 12.5 Salt Marshes (Emergent Grasses)
    • 12.6 Tidepools
    • 12.7 Mangrove Submerged Roots
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  • 13 Marine Coastal/Supratidal
    • 13.1 Sea Cliffs and Rocky Offshore Islands
    • 13.2 Coastal Caves/Karst
    • 13.3 Coastal Sand Dunes
    • 13.4 Coastal Brackish/Saline Lagoons/Marine Lakes
    • 13.5 Coastal Freshwater Lakes
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  • 14 Artificial - Terrestrial
    • 14.1 Arable Land
    • 14.2 Pastureland
    • 14.3 Plantations
    • 14.4 Rural Gardens
    • 14.5 Urban Areas
    • 14.6 Subtropical/Tropical Heavily Degraded Former Forest
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  • 15 Artificial - Aquatic
    • 15.1 Water Storage Areas (over 8 ha)
    • 15.2 Ponds (below 8 ha)
    • 15.3 Aquaculture Ponds
    • 15.4 Salt Exploitation Sites
    • 15.5 Excavations (open)
    • 15.6 Wastewater Treatment Areas
    • 15.7 Irrigated Land [includes irrigation channels]
    • 15.8 Seasonally Flooded Agricultural Land
    • 15.9 Canals and Drainage Channels, Ditches
    • 15.10 Karst and Other Subterranean Hydrological Systems [human-made]
    • 15.11 Marine Anthropogenic Structures
    • 15.12 Mariculture Cages
    • 15.13 Mari/Brackish-culture Ponds
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  • 16 Introduced Vegetation
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  • 17 Other
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  • 18 Unknown