{"id":10355,"date":"2024-08-14T14:52:11","date_gmt":"2024-08-14T14:52:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/?p=10355"},"modified":"2024-08-14T14:52:30","modified_gmt":"2024-08-14T14:52:30","slug":"terrestrial-ecosystem","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/terrestrial-ecosystem\/","title":{"rendered":"Terrestrial Ecosystem: Meaning, Types &amp; More"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><em><strong>Terrestrial Ecosystems<\/strong>, with their diverse types and intricate components, are vital for the sustenance of life on Earth. A thorough understanding of these ecosystems is essential for comprehending ecological principles and addressing environmental challenges. This article aims to study in detail the Terrestrial Ecosystem, its meaning, and various types, including Forest Ecosystems, Grassland Ecosystems, Desert Ecosystems, Tundra Ecosystems, Mountain Ecosystems and Ghats Ecosystems.<\/em><\/p><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_56_1 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-transparent ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/terrestrial-ecosystem\/#What_is_Ecosystem\" title=\"What is Ecosystem?\">What is Ecosystem?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/terrestrial-ecosystem\/#What_is_Terrestrial_Ecosystem\" title=\"What is Terrestrial Ecosystem?\">What is Terrestrial Ecosystem?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/terrestrial-ecosystem\/#Types_of_Terrestrial_Ecosystems\" title=\"Types of Terrestrial Ecosystems\">Types of Terrestrial Ecosystems<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/terrestrial-ecosystem\/#Forest_Ecosystem\" title=\"Forest Ecosystem\">Forest Ecosystem<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/terrestrial-ecosystem\/#Grassland_Ecosystem\" title=\"Grassland Ecosystem\">Grassland Ecosystem<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3'><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/terrestrial-ecosystem\/#Tropical_Grasslands\" title=\"Tropical Grasslands\">Tropical Grasslands<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/terrestrial-ecosystem\/#Temperate_Grasslands\" title=\"Temperate Grasslands\">Temperate Grasslands<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/terrestrial-ecosystem\/#Desert_Ecosystem\" title=\"Desert Ecosystem\">Desert Ecosystem<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3'><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/terrestrial-ecosystem\/#Hot_Deserts\" title=\"Hot Deserts\">Hot Deserts<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/terrestrial-ecosystem\/#Cold_Deserts_or_Temperate_Deserts\" title=\"Cold Deserts or Temperate Deserts\">Cold Deserts or Temperate Deserts<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/terrestrial-ecosystem\/#Tundra_Ecosystem\" title=\"Tundra Ecosystem\">Tundra Ecosystem<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3'><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/terrestrial-ecosystem\/#Arctic_Tundra\" title=\"Arctic Tundra\">Arctic Tundra<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/terrestrial-ecosystem\/#Alpine_Tundra\" title=\"Alpine Tundra\">Alpine Tundra<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/terrestrial-ecosystem\/#Tundra_in_India\" title=\"Tundra in India\">Tundra in India<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/terrestrial-ecosystem\/#Mountain_Ecosystem\" title=\"Mountain Ecosystem\">Mountain Ecosystem<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-16\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/terrestrial-ecosystem\/#Ghats_Ecosystem\" title=\"Ghats Ecosystem\">Ghats Ecosystem<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3'><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-17\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/terrestrial-ecosystem\/#Western_Ghats\" title=\"Western Ghats\">Western Ghats<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-18\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/terrestrial-ecosystem\/#Eastern_Ghats\" title=\"Eastern Ghats\">Eastern Ghats<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-19\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/terrestrial-ecosystem\/#Conclusion\" title=\"Conclusion\">Conclusion<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-20\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/terrestrial-ecosystem\/#Frequently_Asked_Question_FAQ\" title=\"Frequently Asked Question (FAQ)\">Frequently Asked Question (FAQ)<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3'><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-21\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/terrestrial-ecosystem\/#What_are_the_examples_of_terrestrial_ecosystems\" title=\"What are the examples of terrestrial ecosystems?\">What are the examples of terrestrial ecosystems?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-a59cc36dfe6cf3824f562d8cf0a87da6\" style=\"color:#015aa7\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_is_Ecosystem\"><\/span><strong>What is Ecosystem?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>An ecosystem is a functional unit of nature where a community of living organisms interact among themselves and with the surrounding physical environment.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>An Ecosystem varies greatly in size and may be as large as a forest or sea or as small as a small fishpond, which provides a home for plants and other small animals.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-background\" style=\"background-color:#ebecf0\">Read our detailed article on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/ecosystem\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/ecosystem\/\"><strong>Basic Concepts of Ecosystem<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-98333bc8f5c355477e6eaa60e6122c60\" style=\"color:#015aa7\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_is_Terrestrial_Ecosystem\"><\/span><strong>What is Terrestrial Ecosystem?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Terrestrial ecosystems are those ecosystems that are found on the land, i.e. the interactions between the living and the non-living parts of an ecosystem take place on the land masses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-494ec4837c3ee464778514b6691703e7\" style=\"color:#015aa7\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Types_of_Terrestrial_Ecosystems\"><\/span><strong>Types of Terrestrial Ecosystems<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Broadly, there are of four types of terrestrial ecosystems:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Forest Ecosystems,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Grassland Ecosystems,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Desert Ecosystems, and<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Tundra Ecosystems.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Apart from them, there are some other types of terrestrial ecosystems that are found in India, such as &#8211; Mountain Ecosystem, and Ghats Ecosystem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Each of these terrestrial ecosystems is discussed in detail in the sections that follow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-5e28ae5a0efaec27bf811a21a0b3dae1\" style=\"color:#015aa7\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Forest_Ecosystem\"><\/span><strong>Forest Ecosystem<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A forest is a large area covered predominantly with trees and undergrowth.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>This is a type of terrestrial ecosystem that supports the rich growth of trees.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Depending upon the density of trees, forests can be categorised into two types &#8211; dense forests and open forests.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Forests are spread over approximately 30 per cent of the world\u2019s land.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Examples: tropical rainforests, coniferous forests etc.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-13b815fcfed2802ce000a22ea2988b25\" style=\"color:#015aa7\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Grassland_Ecosystem\"><\/span><strong>Grassland Ecosystem<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A grassland is a type of terrestrial ecosystem that is characterized by vast open spaces dominated by grasses and other herbaceous plants, with few or no trees.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Grasslands are found in those regions that have the ability to support vegetation but not to the extent of supporting big trees.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>These are the intermediate stages (seral stage) of ecological succession, culminating finally in forested areas.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Important Grasslands of the world are as follows:<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"893\" height=\"492\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/blog\/uploads\/2024\/08\/grassland-ecosystem.png\" alt=\"Grassland Ecosystem\" class=\"wp-image-10358\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/blog\/uploads\/2024\/08\/grassland-ecosystem.png 893w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/blog\/uploads\/2024\/08\/grassland-ecosystem-460x253.png 460w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/blog\/uploads\/2024\/08\/grassland-ecosystem-768x423.png 768w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/blog\/uploads\/2024\/08\/grassland-ecosystem-696x383.png 696w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/blog\/uploads\/2024\/08\/grassland-ecosystem-762x420.png 762w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/blog\/uploads\/2024\/08\/grassland-ecosystem-150x83.png 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 893px) 100vw, 893px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-64622961828984db0f592c6010bbe25d\" style=\"color:#ff6a00\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Tropical_Grasslands\"><\/span><strong>Tropical Grasslands<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>There are regions in the tropical area that do not receive enough rainfall to support extensive tree cover, thus forming grasslands.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>These grasslands are also known as Savannah.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>These areas are dry but not as much as the desert areas. For example, Sahel is south of the Sahara, in East Africa, and in Australia.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-ac8929ad1fe0e9c4dd9079b148010774\" style=\"color:#ff6a00\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Temperate_Grasslands\"><\/span><strong>Temperate Grasslands<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>These grasslands are found in the mid latitude region and in the interior parts of the continents where the rainfall is low to moderate.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>These grasslands are known by <strong>different names in different regions<\/strong> of the world, such as\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Pampas in Argentina,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Downs in Australia,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Prairies in Central North American Plains,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Pustaz in Hungary,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Steppes in Russia, and<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Velds in South Africa.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The annual precipitation ranges from 25 cm to 75 cm, most of which is in the form of snow, and temperature variation is high as these regions experience hot summer and cold winters.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-ce992677962a11c833b8e9e062c7d71b\" style=\"color:#015aa7\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Desert_Ecosystem\"><\/span><strong>Desert Ecosystem<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Deserts are those regions that receive an extremely low amount of rainfall (less than 25 cm annually) resulting in less vegetation compared to humid areas.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>This type of terrestrial ecosystem experiences a wide range of temperature and climate variations.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Desert ecosystem can again be categorised into two types: Hot deserts and Cold deserts.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Some of the important deserts of the world are as follows.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"728\" height=\"364\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/blog\/uploads\/2024\/08\/desert-ecosystem.png\" alt=\"Desert Ecosystem\" class=\"wp-image-10359\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/blog\/uploads\/2024\/08\/desert-ecosystem.png 728w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/blog\/uploads\/2024\/08\/desert-ecosystem-460x230.png 460w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/blog\/uploads\/2024\/08\/desert-ecosystem-696x348.png 696w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/blog\/uploads\/2024\/08\/desert-ecosystem-150x75.png 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 728px) 100vw, 728px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-ee64b78da2976e06df2a25d850370045\" style=\"color:#ff6a00\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Hot_Deserts\"><\/span><strong>Hot Deserts<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Rainfall in these terrestrial ecosystems is generally too low (below 25 cm) to support proper vegetation.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The soil is also coarse with good drainage so most of the rain water percolates into the soil.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Examples of hot deserts include Kalahari (south-west Africa), Sahara (North Africa), Monte (Argentina) etc.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>In India, it is found in the Thar region of Rajasthan, extending into some parts of Haryana, Punjab and Gujarat.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It has long sandy plains with changing sand dunes.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It has long sandy plains with changing sand dunes.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-c9dedd88db5abec7c176cff3fa345acd\" style=\"color:#ff6a00\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Cold_Deserts_or_Temperate_Deserts\"><\/span><strong>Cold Deserts or Temperate Deserts<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The cold deserts are mainly found in higher latitude regions or the higher altitudes in tropical areas.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Rainfall is scant and thus dry conditions prevail which may be due to remoteness from the coasts or presence of high mountains separating the desert from the coast.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>In India, the Cold Desert is situated in the Western Himalayas.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It stretches from Ladakh in the north to Kinnaur (Himachal Pradesh) in the south.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-f0566da974ba27f4a4a27317d3e5f6da\" style=\"color:#015aa7\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Tundra_Ecosystem\"><\/span><strong>Tundra Ecosystem<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>These ecosystems are found in those areas that have long severe cold winters and very short cool summers.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Tundra means \u2018barren land\u2019 because it is extremely hard to survive in these conditions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>These terrestrial ecosystems have very low precipitation of less than 25 cm, and that takes place in the form of snow.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>There are 2 types of Tundra: Arctic Tundra and Alpine Tundra.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"705\" height=\"361\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/blog\/uploads\/2024\/08\/tundra-ecosystem.png\" alt=\"Tundra Ecosystem\" class=\"wp-image-10360\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/blog\/uploads\/2024\/08\/tundra-ecosystem.png 705w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/blog\/uploads\/2024\/08\/tundra-ecosystem-460x236.png 460w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/blog\/uploads\/2024\/08\/tundra-ecosystem-696x356.png 696w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/blog\/uploads\/2024\/08\/tundra-ecosystem-150x77.png 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 705px) 100vw, 705px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-51928a0e2450f68c30098b156a055f1d\" style=\"color:#ff6a00\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Arctic_Tundra\"><\/span><strong>Arctic Tundra<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>As the name suggests, this terrestrial ecosystem is located in close proximity to the Arctic Circle.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A unique characteristic of this tundra is that it\u2019s a permafrost region, i.e. even the soil is permanently frozen here, except the top layer which thaws in the summer season.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>During the summer, snow melts and percolates in the upper layer but cannot percolate into the permanently frozen soil.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Thus, the top layers is saturated with water. Also, this region receive very low amount of sunlight during the whole year.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-193db2e4721c5e0fa3db4aa9c466995b\" style=\"color:#ff6a00\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Alpine_Tundra\"><\/span><strong>Alpine Tundra<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>These are found in high mountains above the tree line at all latitudes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>This terrestrial ecosystem does not contain trees, as it is too cold and windy to support any tree system.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The average elevation of occurrence of Alpine Tundra is generally higher near the equator as compared to that at the poles.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>This is due to the earth\u2019s bulge at the equator.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-dce80839b79712837ea8d8f860face7a\" style=\"color:#ff6a00\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Tundra_in_India\"><\/span><strong>Tundra in India<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>In India, these forests are found in the highest reaches of the Himalayas, above 3600 meters altitude.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>As we move up the mountain, the conditions become harsher for tree growth and thus, the plant shows stunted growth.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Important trees in this terrestrial ecosystem include silver fir, pine, juniper, and birch.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Higher up the reaches, alpine grasslands are found as the condition is not suitable for tree growth.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Vegetation like lichen and mosses are also found in high altitudinal regions.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-4ce2501346d28110ef237726d3a58002\" style=\"color:#015aa7\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Mountain_Ecosystem\"><\/span><strong>Mountain Ecosystem<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A mountain ecosystem refers to the complex network of living organisms and their physical environment found in mountainous regions.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>These terrestrial ecosystems are characterised by steep terrain, varying altitudes, and often harsh climatic conditions, including lower temperatures, high winds, and reduced oxygen levels as altitude increases.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Himalayan mountain system is an important feature of the Indian subcontinent as it plays an important role in imparting the region a distinct identity.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>They act not only as physical barriers but also as a climatic, drainage and cultural divide.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>However, there are large-scale regional variations within the mountain system and for this reason, the mountain system can be divided into various subdivisions based on relief, alignment of ranges and other factors.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-background\" style=\"background-color:#ebecf0\">Read our detailed article on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/the-himalayas\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/the-himalayas\/\"><strong>Himalayas<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-1fb2b53cc2e50f9c763608e1adac6cdb\" style=\"color:#015aa7\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Ghats_Ecosystem\"><\/span><strong>Ghats Ecosystem<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The Ghats of India are the two mountain ranges on the eastern and western edges of the Deccan Plateau.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>They have been classified into Western Ghats and Eastern Ghats.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"489\" height=\"535\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/blog\/uploads\/2024\/08\/ghats-ecosystem.png\" alt=\"Ghats Ecosystem\" class=\"wp-image-10361\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/blog\/uploads\/2024\/08\/ghats-ecosystem.png 489w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/blog\/uploads\/2024\/08\/ghats-ecosystem-236x258.png 236w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/blog\/uploads\/2024\/08\/ghats-ecosystem-384x420.png 384w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/blog\/uploads\/2024\/08\/ghats-ecosystem-150x164.png 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 489px) 100vw, 489px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-6c4ff58727e5765c99bd9356aa867373\" style=\"color:#ff6a00\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Western_Ghats\"><\/span><strong>Western Ghats<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>These hill ranges are continuous from the Tapti River in the north to Kanyakumari in the south.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>They run parallel to the west coast of India and are also known as Sahyadri.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>These areas receive orographic rainfall of about 100-500 cm from the Arabian Sea branch of the southwest monsoon.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The western Ghats is very important for the peninsular rivers as it act as a source of most of the rivers flowing in this region.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Coupled with warm atmosphere throughout the year, this terrestrial ecosystem support great wealth of biodiversity and thus counted among the 36 biodiversity hotspots of the world.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-d63abbd8b6d2cd1b92dd95e948d55472\" style=\"color:#ff6a00\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Eastern_Ghats\"><\/span><strong>Eastern Ghats<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>These ranges run parallel to the east coast and are a series of discontinuous hill ranges, with many great rivers cutting across them, including the Mahanadi, Godavari, and Krishna rivers.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>They receive 60-160 cm of rainfall.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The ghats lie in tropical climates.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The climate here varies from semi-arid to semi-humid and accordingly, the vegetation ranges from evergreen trees to dry savannas.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>This is the only region in India that boasts dry evergreen forests in India.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The region is rich in biodiversity and particularly famous for a variety of medicinal plants including Acorus calamus, Aegle marmelos and Costus speciosus etc.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Papikonda National Park which lies in the northern section of the eastern ghats, north of the Godavari River, has moist deciduous and semi-evergreen forests.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-background\" style=\"background-color:#ebecf0\">Read our detailed article on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/peninsular-plateau\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/peninsular-plateau\/\"><strong>Western Ghats and Eastern Ghats<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-d0adc4bd9eb2e9b9b187dc32f0e06642\" style=\"color:#015aa7\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Conclusion\"><\/span><strong>Conclusion<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Terrestrial Ecosystems<\/strong> are the life-supporting systems on land and form a crucial component of the earth. Understanding the characteristics, challenges, and importance of terrestrial ecosystems is essential for ensuring the good health of our planet and environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-b04ddb1535628ea923d834d7faf1cac9\" style=\"color:#015aa7\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Frequently_Asked_Question_FAQ\"><\/span><strong>Frequently Asked Question (FAQ)<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n<div id=\"rank-math-faq\" class=\"rank-math-block\">\n<div class=\"rank-math-list \">\n<div id=\"faq-question-1723646116254\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_are_the_examples_of_terrestrial_ecosystems\"><\/span><strong>What are the examples of terrestrial ecosystems?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>Some of the most prominent examples of terrestrial ecosystems include &#8211; <strong>Forest Ecosystems, Grassland Ecosystems, Desert Ecosystems, and Tundra Ecosystems<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Terrestrial Ecosystems, with their diverse types and intricate components, are vital for the sustenance of life on Earth.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":10363,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[65],"tags":[72],"class_list":["post-10355","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-environment-and-ecology","tag-gs-3"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10355","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10355"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10355\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10364,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10355\/revisions\/10364"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10363"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10355"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10355"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10355"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}