Our planet contains a medley of different habitats, all shaped by things like weather and water. Thanks to these environments, there are plenty of areas where diverse lifeforms can thrive. From the chilly polar regions to tropical rainforests, you might be wondering why and how these different habitats exist.
Here, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about land and water habitats, and – of course – introduce you to some of the creatures living in them!
What is a habitat?
By definition, a habitat is a place where organisms, including plants and animals, can live. Here is a little fun fact: the word originates from a Latin word meaning ‘it dwells’.
There’s a little more to them than simply providing plants and animals with a suitable place to live, though. Each habitat consists of water, food, shelter and space, which all meet the environmental needs of the organisms living within it.
So, how do different habitats form? It comes down to several factors, but the most important ones are the climate, geographical location, water availability, soil types and interactions between living organisms in the area.
Why are habitats important?
Habitats are crucial for life because they provide the essential conditions needed for each species on the planet not only to survive but also to thrive.
That’s not all, though. The abundance of plants, grasses and trees within each habitat can prevent flooding, filter air pollution, shelter animals, reduce noise pollution, and provide us with the means to create food and medicine. Without these, we’d struggle with many basics needed to support life as we know it on Earth, including regulating the atmosphere and growing food.
Types of habitats
We have five main habitat types, including forests, rainforests, deserts, polar and water. Let’s dive in and explore each of these!
Forest
It might look like a forest is a sea of green foliage stretching as far as the eye can see, but these habitats are much more than just trees. Not only are these woodland areas home to lots of trees, plants, grasses and shrubbery, but they also provide a home for a diverse range of creatures.
Forests of all sizes exist worldwide, with the largest found in Russia, Brazil, Canada and China. Although classed as a rainforest for its tropical climate, the Amazon Rainforest in Brazil is in fact the world’s biggest forest habitat, spanning an impressive 211 million acres.
Lots of species live in the world’s forests, from smaller creatures like squirrels, badgers and butterflies to larger animals like bears, deer and foxes.
Rainforest
Found on the equator line, rainforest habitats see thousands of millimetres of rainfall each year. The combination of the abundance of rainfall and warm temperatures creates a tropical environment. Thanks to this climate, rainforests are complex ecosystems with rich biodiversity containing various distinctive layers. They’re one of the most vital habitats, playing an important role in regulating the Earth’s climate and supporting thousands of plant and animal species.
The abundance of animal life found in these habitats is incredibly varied. Monkeys, sloths, jaguars, dart frogs, toucans and capybaras are just some of the creatures inhabiting all the layers of the rainforests.
Desert
Desert habitats couldn’t be more different from rainforests. On average, only around 10 inches of rain falls on these sand-covered areas, leaving them dry and hot.
Each continent has a desert area, including the Sahara in Africa, the Gobi in Asia and the Mojave in the US. They aren’t always in hot areas, as you might think. Antarctica is considered to be a desert as there is very little rainfall and snow there, though there is very little snow which has built up over hundreds and thousands of years which has formed the thick ice sheets we see today.
Animals in this habitat have typically adapted to survive harsh conditions. Reptiles like snakes and lizards move around in the sand, while species like the fennec fox, meerkat and camel live happily on the sand’s surface.
Polar
Polar habitats are found in Earth’s polar north in the Arctic region, including the northernmost parts of Alaska, Greenland, and Russia, alongside the Antarctic continent including Antarctica and its surrounding islands. Ice glaciers, frozen lakes and cold temperatures are the typical characteristics of polar habitats.
Polar bears, walruses, seals, arctic foxes and penguins are among the animals that have adapted to survive the cold temperatures in polar habitats. Some have special fur that helps them stay warm against freezing temperatures, while other species will huddle for warmth.
Water
Water is the biggest habitat in the world, covering more than 70% of the Earth’s surface. Water is essential for all lifeforms, and every habitat must have access to some form of water supply. Some organisms need a lot of water, while others need very little. There are three types of water bodies which are inhabited: fresh water, brackish and salt water. Some species can only live in freshwater, like how some species can only live in salt water. You can also get some species that begin life in one type of water and move to the other further in life, such as the Salmon that begin life in fresh water, move to salt water to grow and spend most of their lives, only to return to fresh water to spawn.
Creatures living in water habitats, more commonly referred to as aquatic animals, can range from dolphins and pufferfish to whales and sharks.
Ready for a mind-blowing fact? Only around 5% of the world’s waters have been explored, which means it’s highly likely that we’re yet to discover thousands of new aquatic species!
What are the different types of water habitats?
Here, we’ll go into more depth about each one, from freshwater to brackish to marine.
Freshwater habitat
Although only around 1% of the world is covered by freshwater, this water habitat is teeming with life. Freshwater habitats include rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, swamps, wetlands, bogs and lagoons. Examples include the Amazon River in South America and the Everglades, the largest freshwater habitat in the world, spanning 1.5 million acres of wetland in southern Florida.
Species living in freshwater habitats include the red bellied piranha known for its glittering scales, the Congo tetra which is native to Africa’s Congo River Basin, the long-whiskered, cartoon-like tiger shovelnose catfish, and the freshwater river stingray only found in South American river systems.
Marine habitat
Marine habitats are defined by a salt concentration higher than 1%, which is why you might also see these habitats being referred to as saltwater. This is the most common compared to brackish and freshwater habitats, covering around 97% of the Earth.
The majority of our oceans, seas and coral reefs are classified as marine habitats. The Great Barrier Reef, located off the east coast of Australia, is the largest example of a marine habitat. So, which species can thrive in marine habitats? Coral, red lionfish, zebra moray eel and several turtle species are just a few of the creatures you can find swimming around in these salty waters.
Brackish habitat
Brackish water is saltier than freshwater but not as salty as seawater. This habitat forms where freshwater rivers meet saltwater in the ocean. As a rare phenomenon, brackish waters are only estimated to be found in less than 3% of the world’s waters.
Brackish waters are typically categorised as swamps, lakes and estuaries, depending on their location. From Loch Stennes in Scotland to the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe, these bodies of water create a unique environment that many creatures aren’t able to live in due to the water’s salinity.
More unusual species can be found in this unique habitat, including creatures likethe mudskipper, green spotted puffer, Australian saltwater crocodile and West Indian manatee. Many of these can move between different aquatic environments, meaning they have adapted to survive in waters containing varying levels of salt.
We hope you’ve enjoyed our deep dive into the world’s habitats. At Blue Planet Aquarium, we have a range of animals in different water habitats, from our Coral Cave to the Northern Streams. We’d love to welcome you on your next visit, so book your tickets in advance today!