An ecosystem is a region with a specific and recognizable landscape form, such as a forest, grassland, desert, wetland or coastal area. The nature of the ecosystem is based on its geographical features like hills, mountains, plains, rivers, lakes, coastal areas or islands. At a the sea and the air, forms the biosphere. At a subglobal level, this is divided into biogeographically realms. For ex: South and South-east Asia is the oriental realm; Africa the Ethiopian realm; Australia the Australian realm etc. At a national or state level, this forms biogeography regions. There are several geographical regions in India – the Himalayas, the Gangetic plains, the highlands of Central India, the Western and Eastern Ghats, the semi-arid desert in the West, the Deccan Plateau, the Coastal Belts and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. At an even more local level, each area has several structurally and functionally identifiable ecosystems, such as different types of forests, grasslands, river catchments, mangrove swamps in deltas, seashores, islands, etc. The two major aspects of an ecosystem are structure and function.
Last modified: Thursday, 29 December 2011, 6:57 AM
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