This WikiProject aims to organize all the 867 terrestrial
ecoregions of the 8 major
ecozones of
Earth into a single and consistent naming scheme, and map the
borders of these, and refer to these names in
biology,
ecology,
physical geography and
climate articles, replacing or augmenting nation-state names, which are inexact and don't reflect shifting borders.
Some ideas of why it is important to geographically define ecoregions may be found at
WikiProject Ecoregions : another way to see the World.
But in short, here is the idea. The ecoregions, as defined in Wikipedia, are initially based in those defined by WWF. However, the main goal for WWF was to work on conservation.
We believe thinking ecoregion instead of political geography (ie, borders between "regions" being defined by the political borders of nations) is a better way to solve some global issues.
So, thinking ecoregion is not only meant to think "biological conservation", it is another way to analyse and
to represent areas in the world. At a scale fitting with human understanding, and fitting with human actions.
See also : WWF, ecoregion, Global 200 for further input.
None yet. A
Wikipedia:WikiProject Terra[?] would be the obvious top-level project (as distinct from 'Earth' perhaps?), and
Wikipedia:WikiProject Ecozones[?], a direct part of this Project.
(also under Terra/Earth) we need a
Wikipedia:WikiProject Oceans[?] with descendant
Wikipedia:WikiProject Rivers[?] is also advisable, as all rivers drain into oceans, and watersheds are an objective way to organize the flow of water worldwide. That is a parallel project to this.
Wikipedia:WikiProject Amazon Rainforest[?],
Wikipedia:WikiProject Sahara Desert[?],
Wikipedia:WikiProject Australian Desert[?],
Wikipedia:WikiProject Sumatran_Rainforest[?], etc., as these are interesting and expertise is recruited on each.
Ecoregions aren't going away - ever, we hope (if they all go away, we die). They are the obvious and only objective way to organize
physical geography and enable organization of
ecology and
climate data, including ranges of animals and plants. Right now there are weak stub articles at
ecozones (listing),
Nearctic,
Neotropic, and etc..
We want to navigate logically from the entire planet Earth/Terra down into the ecozones and ecoregions, and their bordering rivers, seas, and oceans. Eventually a meta:Wikipediatlas will be part of the Wikipedia, as it is the Brittanica, etc., which includes a terrific Atlas, which we have to beat! The only way to do that is to organize in this state of the art way that isn't practical for paper, in general.
The obvious starting point is the Dymaxion Map of the Earth, which shows the continents floating in a world ocean, and makes the watersheds obvious. Superimposing the ecozones on that, and the subordinate rivers flowing to each ocean through them, and then the ecoregions on the surface, is the only objective way to break down the Earth's biosphere without cognizance of political boundaries or languages. Perhaps Latin names should be used for the rivers as they are for plants, animals, and ecozones - and some ecoregions which could be translated into Latin perhaps for this purpose. Translating the ecoregions and rivers into Latin isn't hard for those that have multiple names and were colonized by Europeans.
Then, all of ecology is using Latin as its basic language. If necessary English would be the alternate, for obvious reasons, or French, for its closeness to Latin and use as a global 'lingua franca' (literally). This should be decided early and in line with the practices of ecologists and biologists.
as per external link references in
ecoregions
Examples of fully documented ecoregions
Templates for this structure can be found at :PA1303
- PA0906
Wikipedia:WikiProject_Ecoregions/Temp
An ecoregion entry includes:
- The ecozone it is contained within
- Any oceans or seas that it borders
- The rivers that flow through it
- Surface covered by the ecoregion
- A list of alternative names for the ecoregion in native languages, ideally those of the most aboriginal inhabitants, Latin, French, and English, and those official languages of any nations that intersect with it
- It's current best-known borders, in terms of the meta:spacetime DTD
- A precise definition for the ecoregion, containing links to the biological/botanic and climatic concepts that are involved in it;
- A list of links to any generalizations, categories of ecoregions that this one is an example of, e.g. "tropical"
- A list of links to the species of plants (botanical) that grow, in what types of soil, and links to these
- A list of links to native animals organized from top predator[?] down through lesser predators, then herbivore/prey[?] animals and plants they feed on.
- A list of links to non-native plants and animals introduced by humans, and a description of how they have impacted native ones
- Conservation status as defined by...
- A list of links to relevant Wikipedia articles, e.g. on the likely impact of climate change or sea level rise on the region - this should avoid the question of "whether the change will occur" and concentrate on what happens IF it occurs, only
- The industries conducted in the region
- The cultures of the region, comprehensive, with languages
- The ecological challenges facing the region, e.g.
Sumatran rainforest, on
orang-utan and
ape extinction and
deforestation:
A proposal to build an XML DTD for this purpose is at Wikipedia:WikiProject_Ecoregions/ecoregionDTD, which is necessarily dependent on the Wikipedia:WikiProject_Ecoregions/spacetime DTD.
Terra/Ecozone/River/Ecoregion/Predator/Prey/Plant/Soil
- This WikiProject was proposed by Earth, itself, fed up by itchy humans on its surface.
- Right. Earth ability is limited to do the job herself. And it fits very well in my biodiversity focus, so I'll help a bit User:anthere
- Ecological land classification
- Ecozone -- Ecozone -- Ecoprovince[?] -- Ecoregion -- Ecodistrict[?] -- Ecosection[?] -- Ecosite[?] -- Ecoelement[?]
- Ecozone : avec la liste complete et la description de chacune (chacune, lien vers la liste des pa contenue) - list defined
- Nearctic -- Palearctic -- Afrotropic -- Indomalaya -- Australasia ecozone -- Neotropic -- Oceania -- Antarctic
Other names Australasia, Antarctica, Afrotropical, Indo-Malayan, Nearctical, Neotropical, Oceania, Paleartical
- biome
- Tropical and Subtropical Moist Broadleaf Forests
- Tropical and Subtropical Dry Broadleaf Forests
- Tropical and Subtropical Coniferous Forests
- Temperate Broadleaf and Mixed Forests (temperate, humid)
- Tropical and Subtropical Grasslands, Savannas, and Shrublands
- Temperate Coniferous Forests (temperate cold, humid)
- Boreal Forests/Taiga (subartic, humid)
- Temperate Grasslands, Savannas, and Shrublands (temperate, semi-arid)
- Flooded Grasslands and Savannas
- Montane Grasslands and Shrublands
- Tundra (artic, humid)
- Mediterranean Forests, Woodlands, and Shrub (temperate warm, humid)
- Deserts and Xeric Shrublands
- Mangrove
- List of Deserts and Xeric Shrublands ecoregions[?]
climate types[?] Grand types climatiques mondiaux -- climate - no list defined, but many not necessary since already defined in biome - or with a very precise definition of climate
We could use the FAO classification, as it is a worldwide one, widely accepted and translated in many languages.
- Issue 1 : the main map is "fair use" : could we ask for it, might we just put a link to it ?
- Issue 2 : the main map is not precise enough 1:5000000, to easily find references of soil types for each ecoregion. There is another more precise map.
http://www.fao.org/ag/agl/agll/wrb/wrbmaps/htm/soilres.htm
- soil - FAO soil classification -- http://www.fao.org/ag/agl/agll/wrb/wrbmaps/htm/soilres.htm
- Acrisols[?]
-
Andosols[?]
-
Anthrosols[?] (AT)
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Arenosols[?]
-
Cambisols[?]
-
Chernozems[?]
-
Cryosols[?] (CR)
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Durisols[?] (DU)
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Ferralsols[?]
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Fluvisols[?]
-
Gleysols[?]
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Histosols[?]
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Kastanozems[?]
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Lithosols[?]
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Luvisols[?]
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Nitosols[?]
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Phaeozems[?]
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Planosols[?]
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Podzols[?]
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Albeluvisols[?] (AB)
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Rankers[?]
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Regosols[?]
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Rendzinas[?]
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Solonchaks[?]
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Solonetz[?]
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Umbrisols[?] (UM)
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Vertisols[?]
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Yermosols[?]
- Ecozone
- Biome
- Climate
- Soil
- Surface
- Oceans/rivers
- Natural ressources (presence of oil, coal, fish, woods, agricultural potential...)
- ecoregion versus political borders
- human cultures (language, religion...)
- use of land and ressources
- abuse, conflicts and threats (ecological damages, political issues relying on bordering issues, ressources appropriation...)
Note conservation
- In global 200, list of ecoregions - no list
- conservation status (need to established whose conservation status to use)
Note biodiversity and biosphere
During his history, and even tomorrow, because of demographic increase, man, animal species like the others, need and will have to find his food in his environment. The man thus puts in danger biodiversity to feed, either by direct predation of animal and plant species found in the environment, or by the destruction of natural habitats to cultivate and raise the species which he domesticated. Domestication has a significant impact on biodiversity. The man arranges his environment and pollutes it involuntarily. Town and country planning as well as pollution threaten the biodiversity and consequently the biosphere.
- predation
- hunting
- fishing
- fruit gathering
- deforestation
- planning of humid areas, littorals, rivers
- sol degradation to desertification
- invasive species through domestication