Terrestrial habitat and characteristics 

TERRESTRIAL HABITAT. WHAT IS TERRESTRIAL HABITAT? Terrestrial habitat refers to life on land.

Terrestrial habitat refers to any natural environment or biome on Earth where life exists and thrives on land. It encompasses a wide range of ecosystems, from deserts and grasslands to forests and tundra. Terrestrial habitats are distinguished from aquatic habitats, which include oceans, lakes, rivers, and wetlands.

Characteristics of Terrestrial Habitat:

1. Land-based: Terrestrial habitats are primarily composed of soil and solid ground, making them distinct from aquatic environments.
2. Biodiversity: Terrestrial habitats support a diverse array of plant and animal species, each uniquely adapted to their specific environment. Different terrestrial habitats harbour different types of organisms based on factors like climate, temperature, and geographical location.
3. Climate and Weather: The climate of terrestrial habitats varies widely, influencing the types of vegetation and animals found in each area. For instance, tropical rainforests are hot and humid, while deserts are arid and dry.
4. Adaptations: Species in terrestrial habitats have evolved various physical and behavioural adaptations to cope with the specific challenges posed by their surroundings, such as extreme temperatures, scarcity of water, or predation.

Types of Terrestrial Habitats:

1. Forests: These habitats are characterized by dense tree cover and are further divided into types such as tropical rainforests, temperate deciduous forests, and boreal forests (taiga).
2. Grasslands: Grasslands consist of vast expanses of grass and are categorized as temperate grasslands (e.g., prairies) or tropical grasslands (e.g., savannas).
3. Deserts: Deserts are arid regions with little precipitation and often extreme temperatures.
4. Tundra: Tundra habitats are found in cold, high-latitude regions and are characterized by low temperatures, permafrost, and limited vegetation.
5. Mountains: Mountainous habitats vary depending on altitude and latitude, leading to distinct ecosystems from the base to the summit.
6. Mediterranean Scrublands: These habitats are found in regions with a Mediterranean climate, featuring drought-resistant vegetation.
7. Wetlands: Some terrestrial habitats, like swamps and marshes, have characteristics of both terrestrial and aquatic environments.

Human Impact:

Human activities, such as deforestation, urbanization, pollution, and climate change, have significantly impacted terrestrial habitats and the species that depend on them. Conservation efforts are vital to preserving these ecosystems and the biodiversity they support. Protected areas, national parks, and sustainable land management practices play a crucial role in safeguarding terrestrial habitats for future generations.

TYPES OF TERRESTRIAL HABITATS

The terrestrial habitat is divided into four groups. These are:
1. Marsh
2. Rainforest
3. Savanna or grassland
4. Arid land

MARSHY TYPE OF TERRESTRIAL HABITAT

Marsh habitat is defined as a lowland habitat which is usually flooded or water-logged all the time. Naturally, grasses and shrubs grow in the marsh but when trees grow there, it is called a swamp Marsh is often regarded as a transition between the aquatic and terrestrial habitat

FACTORS AFFECTING PLANTS AND ANIMALS IN TERRESTRIAL HABITATS

Abiotic factors that affect plants and animals are: inorganic compounds or elements, e.g.
O, N, salts, CO, HO, etc. water/rainfall, temperature, light/sunlight, wind, altitude, pressure, moisture/humidity, pH, wildfire/thunder and lightning. read more on biotic and abiotic factors affecting ecosystem here

terrestrial habitats and fishes

Effects of abiotic factors affecting terrestrial habitat

1. Temperature: high temperature leads to high transpiration rate in plants/aestivation and hibernation in animals.
2. High rate of metabolism in organisms.
3. A high rate of decay of organic matter.
4. A higher rate of growth and shorter length of life cycle in some organisms, e.g. houseflies and toads. learn about snail
5. At very low temperatures, plant roots absorb water at slower rates, leading to a reduction in the rate of transpiration and metabolism of organisms.
6. At low temperatures, animals, e.g. snails may hibernate, and birds migrate

FORMATION OF MARSHES

Marshes occur in areas of lowlands and where drainage is poor. These areas include flood plains of rivers and river mouths with extensive deltas.

Marshes may develop as a result of water overflowing its bank to accumulate on the adjoining coastal or lowland area. The formation of the marsh may also be enhanced with extensive rainfall which also contributes to the accumulation of water on the land surface.

The water in a lagoon may also flood the adjoining lowland, causing the formation of a marsh. Marsh can also be formed when ponds and lakes are filled up with soil from the surroundings and organic debris from plants causing water-logging. Marsh formation is a gradual process where an aquatic habitat is transformed into a wetland.

TYPES OF MARSHES There are two major types of marshes. These are freshwater marshes and saltwater marshes freshwater marsh esters freshwater marshes occur on land, just beyond the limits of the saltwater marshes’ tide. In this area, fresh water from rivers, overflows the river banks to flood the adjoining lowlands resulting in the formation of freshwater marshes

Saltwater marshes occur along the coastal areas and they are influenced by tides, because the water along the coast is salty, it mixes up with fresh water from rivers to form brackish water. The action of the tide in the ocean causes the flooding of adjoining lowlands with brackish water resulting in the formation of saltwater marshes.

CHARACTERISTICS OF A MARSH TYPE OF TERRESTRIAL HABITAT

The followings are the characteristics associated with marshes:
nature of soil: the soil in marshes are wet, soft, water-logged and poorly aerated. lowland habitat: the marsh is usually a lowland habitat which often enhances flooding and water-logging
3. high flooding: the ground of marshes is often flooded most of the time.

4. presence of stagnant water: stagnant water is often noticed in marshes, especially during the dry season. In raining season, the whole land is highly flooded.
5. presence of organic matter: as a result of fallen leaves, dead plants and animals, lots of organic matter are always present in marshes.

6. high rate of organic decomposition: the decay of organic matter takes place in a large scale in a marsh and this causes a decrease in the oxygen content of the water. Lots of foul-smelling gases such as hydrogen sulphide and methane are usually experienced in marshes.
7. high relative humidity: the relative humidity of the atmosphere around the marshes is usually very high.

plants found in marshes

Examples of plants commonly found in marshes include Algae, water lettuce (pistia), sword grasses, duckweed (lemna), water lilies (Nymphaea), hornwort, sedges, white mangrove and Raphia palm.

Animals found in terrestrial habitats marshes

Examples of animals found in marshes are mangrove crabs, lagoon crabs, hermit crabs, mud skippers, fishes, bloody clams, oysters, barnacles, frogs, toads, lizards, snakes, turtles, birds, crocodiles and mammals.

food chain in marshes

The plants and decaying organic matter form the basis of the food chain in marshes. Some examples of food chains in marshes include:
i. Flowering plants==Insects==Frog==Crocodiles
ii. Detritus==Worms==Fishes
iii. Humus==Earthworms==Frogs==Snakes

factors affecting the marsh terrestrial habitat

Factors which affect the marsh habitats include rainfall, temperature, light, relative humidity and salinity.

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