Terrestrial Ecosystems are found on land, and include tropical forests and deserts. The biodiversity found in tropical rainforests is famous for its variety – birds of all types, shapes and colours, different and abundant tree species, and even spiders, snakes and monkeys.

Natural aquatic ecosystems can be inland or marine. Examples of natural freshwater ecosystems are ponds, rivers and lakes. The biodiversity found in a pond is very different from the biodiversity found, let’s say, in a River. In a river, you could see salmon struggling and swimming upstream through the rushing waters to reach their breeding grounds. In a smaller, calmer pond, however, you might see ducks and fish swimming, water lilies floating along the surface of the water, insects flying overhead or frogs hiding in the shallows. Learn more about examples of freshwater biodiversity in Chapter 7.

Similarly, different marine ecosystems, such as seas, oceans and coral reefs, each contain their own unique biodiversity. Sharks, for example, can live in the open oceans, whereas corals, sponges and molluscs are more often found around sheltered coral reefs.

An agro-ecosystem is an example of an ecosystem that is dependent on human activities for its existence and maintenance. The biodiversity in agro‑ecosystems provides food, fibre, medicine and other benefits for people. Examples of agro-ecosystems include rice paddies, pastures, agro-forestry systems, wheat fields, orchards and even backyards with a homegarden or chickens (see the box: “The Rice Paddy Agro-ecosystem”). Read more about agricultural biodiversity in Chapter 9.