Guidelines & Brochures — Global

Habitats Classification Scheme (Version 3.1)

The habitat types listed below are standard terms used to describe the major habitat/s in which taxa occur. If recorded, these habitats are listed on the Fact Sheet page for each taxon under the Classification Schemes and Full Account tabs.

The three levels of the hierarchy are self-explanatory, as they use familiar habitat terms that take into account biogeography, latitudinal zonation and depth in marine systems. The inland aquatic habitats are based primarily on the classification system of wetland types used by the Ramsar Convention (see Ramsar Wetland Type Classification System). It is acknowledged that the classification scheme used here is not entirely satisfactory and a review of the scheme is needed. The attached draft working document provides a list of the habitat types with definitions, examples of alternative habitat terms especially those used in different parts of the world, and guidance notes on using the system.

• 1. Forest
  • 1.1. Forest – Boreal
  • 1.2. Forest - Subarctic
  • 1.3. Forest – Subantarctic
  • 1.4. Forest – Temperate
  • 1.5. Forest – Subtropical/tropical dry
  • 1.6. Forest – Subtropical/tropical moist lowland
  • 1.7. Forest – Subtropical/tropical mangrove vegetation above high tide level
  • 1.8. Forest – Subtropical/tropical swamp
  • 1.9. Forest – Subtropical/tropical moist montane
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• 2. Savanna
  • 2.1. Savanna - Dry
  • 2.2. Savanna - Moist
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• 3. Shrubland
  • 3.1. Shrubland – Subarctic
  • 3.2. Shrubland – Subantarctic
  • 3.3. Shrubland – Boreal
  • 3.4. Shrubland –Temperate
  • 3.5. Shrubland – Subtropical/tropical dry
  • 3.6. Shrubland – Subtropical/tropical moist
  • 3.7. Shrubland – Subtropical/tropical high altitude
  • 3.8. Shrubland – Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation
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• 4. Grassland
  • 4.1. Grassland – Tundra
  • 4.2. Grassland – Subarctic
  • 4.3. Grassland – Subantarctic
  • 4.4. Grassland – Temperate
  • 4.5. Grassland – Subtropical/tropical dry
  • 4.6. Grassland – Subtropical/tropical seasonally wet/flooded
  • 4.7. Grassland – Subtropical/tropical high altitude
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• 5. Wetlands (inland)
  • 5.1. Wetlands (inland) – Permanent rivers/streams/creeks (includes waterfalls)
  • 5.2. Wetlands (inland) – Seasonal/intermittent/irregular rivers/streams/creeks
  • 5.3. Wetlands (inland) – Shrub dominated wetlands
  • 5.4. Wetlands (inland) – Bogs, marshes, swamps, fens, peatlands
  • 5.5. Wetlands (inland) – Permanent freshwater lakes (over 8 ha)
  • 5.6. Wetlands (inland) – Seasonal/intermittent freshwater lakes (over 8 ha)
  • 5.7. Wetlands (inland) – Permanent freshwater marshes/pools (under 8 ha)
  • 5.8. Wetlands (inland) – Seasonal/intermittent freshwater marshes/pools (under 8 ha)
  • 5.9. Wetlands (inland) – Freshwater springs and oases
  • 5.10. Wetlands (inland) – Tundra wetlands (inc. pools and temporary waters from snowmelt)
  • 5.11. Wetlands (inland) – Alpine wetlands (inc. temporary waters from snowmelt)
  • 5.12. Wetlands (inland) – Geothermal wetlands
  • 5.13. Wetlands (inland) – Permanent inland deltas
  • 5.14. Wetlands (inland) – Permanent saline, brackish or alkaline lakes
  • 5.15. Wetlands (inland) – Seasonal/intermittent saline, brackish or alkaline lakes and flats
  • 5.16. Wetlands (inland) – Permanent saline, brackish or alkaline marshes/pools
  • 5.17. Wetlands (inland) – Seasonal/intermittent saline, brackish or alkaline marshes/pools
  • 5.18. Wetlands (inland) – Karst and other subterranean hydrological systems (inland)
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• 6. Rocky Areas (e.g., inland cliffs, mountain peaks)
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• 7. Caves & Subterranean Habitats (non-aquatic)
  • 7.1. Caves and Subterranean Habitats (non-aquatic) – Caves
  • 7.2. Caves and Subterranean Habitats (non-aquatic) – Other subterranean habitats
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• 8. Desert
  • 8.1. Desert – Hot
  • 8.2. Desert – Temperate
  • 8.3. Desert – Cold
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• 9. Marine Neritic
  • 9.1. Marine Neritic – Pelagic
  • 9.2. Marine Neritic – Subtidal rock and rocky reefs
  • 9.3. Marine Neritic – Subtidal loose rock/pebble/gravel
  • 9.4. Marine Neritic – Subtidal sandy
  • 9.5. Marine Neritic – Subtidal sandy-mud
  • 9.6. Marine Neritic – Subtidal muddy
  • 9.7. Marine Neritic – Macroalgal/kelp
  • 9.8. Marine Neritic – Coral Reef
    • 9.8.1. Outer reef channel
    • 9.8.2. Back slope
    • 9.8.3. Foreslope (outer reef slope)
    • 9.8.4. Lagoon
    • 9.8.5. Inter-reef soft substrate
    • 9.8.6. Inter-reef rubble substrate
  • 9.9 Seagrass (Submerged)
  • 9.10 Estuaries
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• 10 Marine Oceanic
  • 10.1 Epipelagic (0–200 m)
  • 10.2 Mesopelagic (200–1,000 m)
  • 10.3 Bathypelagic (1,000–4,000 m)
  • 10.4 Abyssopelagic (4,000–6,000 m)
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• 11 Marine Deep Ocean Floor (Benthic and Demersal)
  • 11.1 Continental Slope/Bathyl Zone (200–4,000 m)
    • 11.1.1 Hard Substrate
    • 11.1.2 Soft Substrate
  • 11.2 Abyssal Plain (4,000–6,000 m)
  • 11.3 Abyssal Mountain/Hills (4,000–6,000 m)
  • 11.4 Hadal/Deep Sea Trench (>6,000 m)
  • 11.5 Seamount
  • 11.6 Deep Sea Vents (Rifts/Seeps)
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• 12 Marine Intertidal
  • 12.1 Rocky Shoreline
  • 12.2 Sandy Shoreline and/or Beaches, Sand Bars, Spits, etc.
  • 12.3 Shingle and/or Pebble Shoreline and/or Beaches
  • 12.4 Mud Shoreline and Intertidal Mud Flats
  • 12.5 Salt Marshes (Emergent Grasses)
  • 12.6 Tidepools
  • 12.7 Mangrove Submerged Roots
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• 13 Marine Coastal/Supratidal
  • 13.1 Sea Cliffs and Rocky Offshore Islands
  • 13.2 Coastal Caves/Karst
  • 13.3 Coastal Sand Dunes
  • 13.4 Coastal Brackish/Saline Lagoons/Marine Lakes
  • 13.5 Coastal Freshwater Lakes
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• 14 Artificial - Terrestrial
  • 14.1 Arable Land
  • 14.2 Pastureland
  • 14.3 Plantations
  • 14.4 Rural Gardens
  • 14.5 Urban Areas
  • 14.6 Subtropical/Tropical Heavily Degraded Former Forest
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• 15 Artificial - Aquatic
  • 15.1 Water Storage Areas [over 8 ha]
  • 15.2 Ponds [below 8 ha]
  • 15.3 Aquaculture Ponds
  • 15.4 Salt Exploitation Sites
  • 15.5 Excavations (open)
  • 15.6 Wastewater Treatment Areas
  • 15.7 Irrigated Land [includes irrigation channels]
  • 15.8 Seasonally Flooded Agricultural Land
  • 15.9 Canals and Drainage Channels, Ditches
  • 15.10 Karst and Other Subterranean Hydrological Systems [human-made]
  • 15.11 Marine Anthropogenic Structures
  • 15.12 Mariculture Cages
  • 15.13 Mari/Brackish-culture Ponds
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• 16 Introduced Vegetation
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• 17 Other
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• 18 Unknown

 

 

Habitat Importance

It is recommended that the importance of each habitat recorded is indicated by coding its Suitability and Major Importance. Seasonality may also be recorded.

Suitability options are:

• Suitable - the species occurs in the habitat regularly or frequently.
• Marginal - The species occurs in the habitat only irregularly or infrequently, or only a small proportion of individuals are found in the habitat.
• Unknown - The habitat is of unknown importance to the species.

If the Habitat is recorded as suitable then the Major Importance field appears with a simple Yes or No option.  If Yes is selected, this indicates that it is important for the survival of the species, either because it has an absolute requirement for the habitat at some point in its lifecycle (e.g. for breeding or as a critical food source), or it is the primary habitat (or one of two primary habitats) within which the species usually occurs or within which most individuals occur.

For some species, seasonality of habitat occurrence is important (e.g. migratory species) and this can also be recorded against each habitat.

Seasonality options are:

• Resident
• Breeding
• Non-breeding
• Passage
• Unknown