Ecological land classification is defined as being a cartographical delineation of distinct ecological areas, identified by their geology, topography, soils, vegetation, climate conditions, living species, water resources, as well as anthropic factors. These factors are known to control or influence biotic composition and ecological processes. As a consequence, they provide a useful approximation of ecosystem potentials. Classification may refer to: Taxonomic classification See also class (philosophy) Statistical classification Hint: Language use may refer to a taxonomic classification that is used for statistical purposes also as a statistical classification (like International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems). ... (Ecology is sometimes used incorrectly as a synonym for the natural environment. ... Geology (from Greek γη- (ge-, the earth) and λογος (logos, word, reason)) is the science and study of the Earth, its composition, structure, physical properties, history, and the processes that shape it. ... Surface of the Earth Topography, a term in geography, has come to refer to the lay of the land, or the physiogeographic characteristics of land in terms of elevation, slope, and orientation. ... For the heavy metal band see Soil (band) Soil is a general term for the material that lies on the surface of the earth, supporting the growth of plants and serving as a habitat for animal life from microrganisms to small animals. ... Divisions Green algae land plants (embryophytes) non-vascular embryophytes Hepatophyta - liverworts Anthocerophyta - hornworts Bryophyta - mosses vascular plants (tracheophytes) seedless vascular plants Lycopodiophyta - clubmosses Equisetophyta - horsetails Pteridophyta - true ferns Psilotophyta - whisk ferns Ophioglossophyta - adderstongue ferns seed plants (spermatophytes) †Pteridospermatophyta - seed ferns Pinophyta - conifers Cycadophyta - cycads Ginkgophyta - ginkgo Gnetophyta - gnetae Magnoliophyta - flowering... In biology, a species is, loosely speaking, a group of related organisms that share a more or less distinctive form and are capable of interbreeding. ... Water (from the Old English word wæter; c. ...

Many different lists have been proposed over time. They were sometimes proposed for conservation efforts. Part of the list proposed below is inspired by Miklos Udvardy classification of the Biographical Provinces in the World which was prepared by Unesco's Man and the Biosphere program, published in 1975 and updated in 1982. Conservation may refer to the following: Conservation ethic in relation to preserving ecosystems Conservationist Conservation movement Conservation ecology Conservation law of physics Conservation of energy Conservation of mass Conservation in genetics Conservation in psychology Prolonging the material integrity of cultural and artistic objects Art conservation Architectural conservation or immovable object... Miklos Udvardy proposed classification systems of the world for conservation purposes. ...

Udvardy's Biogeographical provinces take into account both flora and fauna. Botanists and zoologists have developed other ecological land classification schemes; botanists have identified floristic provinces based on plant communities, while zoologists have identified zoogeographic provinces based on faunal communities. A floristic province is a geographic area with a relatively uniform composition of plant species. ...

Important applications of this information is in planning for future land uses and land conservation decisions.

This classification can be applied at different scales with a holistic approach. From largest to smallest, classical levels are: Holism (from holon, a Greek word meaning entity) is the idea that the properties of a system cannot be determined or explained by the sum of its components alone. ...

• ecozone
• ecoprovince
• ecoregion
• ecodistrict
• ecosection
• ecosite
• ecotope
• ecoelement

A crucial concept of land classification, is that each of the areas defined either remains the same over a certain period of time or shows a slow gradual change, without large, sudden changes. This means it is a system in a kind of equilibrium. It postulates an area is an open system with a certain self-regulation (homeostasis or homeorhesis). Indeed management of land usually aims at a steady state (persistent or at least relatively constant), which means either pure conservation (prevention of damage) or at least sustainability (no deterioration through use). Ecozone is a classification system of the world first proposed by Miklos Udvardy under the name biogeographical realms for conservation purposes. ... An ecoregion is a relatively large area of land or water that contains a geographically distinct assemblage of natural communities. ... Ecotopes are the smallest ecologically-distinct landscape features in a landscape mapping and classification system. ... An open system may refer to more than one thing: In the physical sciences, an open system (system theory) is a system that matter or energy can flow into and/or out of, in contrast to a closed system, which no energy or matter may enter or leave. ... The term self-regulation can signify in systems theory: homeostasis in sociology / psychology: self-control in politics: ... This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Homeostasis or homoeostasis is the property of an open system, especially living organisms, to regulate its internal environment so as to maintain a stable condition, by means of multiple dynamic equilibrium adjustments controlled by interrelated regulation mechanisms. ... Homeorhesis, derived from the Greek for similar flow, is a concept encompassing dynamical systems which return to a trajectory, as opposed to systems which return to a particular state, which is termed homeostasis. ... For alternative meanings see steady state (disambiguation). ... Conservation may refer to the following: Conservation ethic in relation to preserving ecosystems Conservationist Conservation movement Conservation ecology Conservation law of physics Conservation of energy Conservation of mass Conservation in genetics Conservation in psychology Prolonging the material integrity of cultural and artistic objects Art conservation Architectural conservation or immovable object... Sustainability is a systemic concept, relating to the continuity of economic, social, and environmental aspects of human society. ...

See also

• Ecozone (Earth ecozone)
• Global 200 (200 ecoregions defined by WWF as the most critical regions for conservation)
• Ecotope
• Landscape Ecology
• Object Oriented Image Classification