Ecological units and their characteristics — ecoregions, habitat types, biodiversity hotspots, ecosystem health metrics. Where Vegetation and Fauna describe individual organisms, Ecosystems describes communities and their interactions.
Scope
- Ecoregions: Biogeographic zones with shared ecological characteristics
- Habitat types: Natura 2000 habitat classifications, EUNIS habitat types
- Biodiversity hotspots: Areas of exceptional species richness or endemism
- Ecosystem health: Indicators of ecological integrity, disturbance levels, recovery status
- Protected area ecology: Ecological justification for conservation — why a site is protected
Habitats and Protected Sites
INSPIRE’s “Habitats and Biotopes” maps directly here. INSPIRE’s “Protected Sites” is split — the ecological rationale belongs in Ecosystems, but the legal designation as a governance act belongs in Governance.
Classical Theme Mappings
| Standard | Theme | Link |
|---|---|---|
| ISO 19115 | Biota | |Biota |
| INSPIRE | Bio-geographical Regions | |Bio-geographical Regions |
| INSPIRE | Habitats and Biotopes | |Habitats and Biotopes |