A more complete definition describes them as “Areas of relatively homogeneous species composition, clearly distinct from adjacent systems” dominated by “a small number of ecosystems and/or a distinct suite of oceanographic or topographic features”. Ecologically they “are strongly cohesive units, sufficiently large to encompass ecological or life history processes for most sedentary species.”[1]
Marine Ecoregions of the World—MEOWedit
The global classification system Marine Ecoregions of the World—MEOW was devised by an international team, including major conservation organizations, academic institutions and intergovernmental organizations.[1] The system covers coastal and continental shelf waters of the world, and does not include deep ocean waters. The MEOW system integrated the biogeographic regionalization systems in use at national or continental scale, like Australia's Integrated Marine and Coastal Regionalisation of Australia and the Nature Conservancy’s system in the Americas, although it often uses different names for the subdivisions.[1]
This system has a strong biogeographic basis, but was designed to aid in conservation activities for marine ecosystems. Its subdivisions include both the seafloor (benthic) and shelf pelagic (neritic) biotas of each marine region.[1]
The digital ecoregions layer is available for download as an ArcGIS Shapefile.[2]
The Marine Ecoregions of the World classification defines 232 marine ecoregions (e.g. Adriatic Sea, Cortezian, Ningaloo, Ross Sea) for the coastal and shelf waters of the world.
The provinces in turn, are grouped into 12 major realms. The latter are considered analogous to the eight terrestrial realms, represent large regions of the ocean basins:
Other classifications of marine ecoregions or equivalent areas have been widely developed at national and regional levels, as well as a small number of global schemes.
Each of these systems, along with numerous regional biogeographic classifications, was used to inform the MEOW system. The WWF Global 200 work also identifies a number of major habitat types that correspond to the terrestrial biomes: polar, temperate shelves and seas, temperate upwelling, tropical upwelling, tropical coral, pelagic (trades and westerlies), abyssal, and hadal (ocean trench).
Briggs Coastal Provinces
One of the most comprehensive early classifications was the system of 53 coastal provinces developed by Briggs in 1974.[3] The near-global system of 64 large marine ecosystems has a partial biogeographic basis.
^ abcdSpalding, Mark D., Helen E. Fox, Gerald R. Allen, Nick Davidson et al. "Marine Ecoregions of the World: A Bioregionalization of Coastal and Shelf Areas". Bioscience Vol. 57 No. 7, July/August 2007, pp. 573–583.[1]
^. Archived from the original on 2012-07-19. Retrieved 2010-12-03.
^Briggs JC (1974) Marine Zoogeography. McGraw-Hill, New York, USA
^Olson DM, Dinerstein E. 2002; "The Global 200: priority ecoregions for conservation"; Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 89: 199-224
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Marine ecosystems.
April 15, 2024
marine, ecoregion, marine, ecoregion, ecoregion, ecological, region, oceans, seas, identified, defined, based, biogeographic, characteristics, contents, introduction, marine, ecoregions, world, meow, subdivisions, ecoregions, provinces, realms, other, marine, . A marine ecoregion is an ecoregion or ecological region of the oceans and seas identified and defined based on biogeographic characteristics Contents 1 Introduction 2 Marine Ecoregions of the World MEOW 2 1 Subdivisions 2 1 1 Ecoregions 2 1 2 Provinces 2 1 3 Realms 3 Other marine ecoregion classifications 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksIntroduction editA more complete definition describes them as Areas of relatively homogeneous species composition clearly distinct from adjacent systems dominated by a small number of ecosystems and or a distinct suite of oceanographic or topographic features Ecologically they are strongly cohesive units sufficiently large to encompass ecological or life history processes for most sedentary species 1 Marine Ecoregions of the World MEOW editThe global classification system Marine Ecoregions of the World MEOW was devised by an international team including major conservation organizations academic institutions and intergovernmental organizations 1 The system covers coastal and continental shelf waters of the world and does not include deep ocean waters The MEOW system integrated the biogeographic regionalization systems in use at national or continental scale like Australia s Integrated Marine and Coastal Regionalisation of Australia and the Nature Conservancy s system in the Americas although it often uses different names for the subdivisions 1 This system has a strong biogeographic basis but was designed to aid in conservation activities for marine ecosystems Its subdivisions include both the seafloor benthic and shelf pelagic neritic biotas of each marine region 1 The digital ecoregions layer is available for download as an ArcGIS Shapefile 2 Subdivisions edit Main article List of marine ecoregions Ecoregions edit The Marine Ecoregions of the World classification defines 232 marine ecoregions e g Adriatic Sea Cortezian Ningaloo Ross Sea for the coastal and shelf waters of the world Provinces edit These marine ecoregions form part of a nested system and are grouped into 62 provinces e g the South China Sea Mediterranean Sea Central Indian Ocean Islands Realms edit The provinces in turn are grouped into 12 major realms The latter are considered analogous to the eight terrestrial realms represent large regions of the ocean basins Arctic Temperate Northern Atlantic Temperate Northern Pacific Tropical Atlantic Western Indo Pacific Central Indo Pacific Eastern Indo Pacific Tropical Eastern Pacific Temperate South America Temperate Southern Africa Temperate Australasia Southern OceanOther marine ecoregion classifications editOther classifications of marine ecoregions or equivalent areas have been widely developed at national and regional levels as well as a small number of global schemes Each of these systems along with numerous regional biogeographic classifications was used to inform the MEOW system The WWF Global 200 work also identifies a number of major habitat types that correspond to the terrestrial biomes polar temperate shelves and seas temperate upwelling tropical upwelling tropical coral pelagic trades and westerlies abyssal and hadal ocean trench Briggs Coastal ProvincesOne of the most comprehensive early classifications was the system of 53 coastal provinces developed by Briggs in 1974 3 The near global system of 64 large marine ecosystems has a partial biogeographic basis WWF Global 200The World Wildlife Fund WWF identified 43 priority marine ecoregions as part of its Global 200 initiative 4 See also editList of marine ecoregions Marine botany Marine ecosystemReferences edit a b c d Spalding Mark D Helen E Fox Gerald R Allen Nick Davidson et al Marine Ecoregions of the World A Bioregionalization of Coastal and Shelf Areas Bioscience Vol 57 No 7 July August 2007 pp 573 583 1 MEOW digital ecoregions layer ArcGIS Shapefile download link Archived from the original on 2012 07 19 Retrieved 2010 12 03 Briggs JC 1974 Marine Zoogeography McGraw Hill New York USA Olson DM Dinerstein E 2002 The Global 200 priority ecoregions for conservation Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 89 199 224External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Marine ecosystems Nature org Marine Ecoregions of the World MEOW Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Marine ecoregion amp oldid 1136635401, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
