Life happens through connections
Explore forests, wetlands, coasts and cities to understand their layers, processes and representative species.
Connected ecosystems
Conditions, structure and processes with a clear scope and accessible sources.
Habitats
A forest habitat of the European Mediterranean region, defined by the predominance of evergreen broad-leaved trees and a canopy that retains its foliage throughout the year.
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A layered habitat where soil, understorey and canopy support different communities.
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Forest formations associated with Spanish river courses, whose composition and organization vary with water conditions and other environmental factors; they may have vegetation layers and bands arranged in relation to the river channel.
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At White Sands, gypsum dunes show transitions between bare and vegetated areas associated with interactions among wind, vegetation, and groundwater.
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A mosaic of grassland, scrub and cultivated areas dotted with holm and cork oaks. Human use helps shape this seminatural habitat.
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Arid environments where water scarcity, rather than heat alone, shapes vegetation and animal activity.
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Mediterranean holm oak woodland is a forest dominated by holm oak (Quercus ilex), with persistent foliage and a canopy that can form shady cover; its distribution and conditions vary among regions of the Iberian Peninsula.
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In the oromediterranean belt of Sierra Nevada, cushion scrub forms part of a mosaic that includes broom scrub and juniper scrub; an independent monitoring report also identifies high- and mid-mountain scrub, although it does not confirm every boundary or compositional detail described here.
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Landscapes of changing relief and altitude, with communities shaped by climate, aspect and substrate.
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In Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici National Park, high-mountain grasslands vary with altitude, aspect, and substrate; some occupy sunny slopes, while others occur in subalpine areas or on calcareous and acidic soils.
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These permanent grasslands occur in temperate regions of Europe, from lowlands to mountains, on deep, well-drained mesic soils, and may be maintained through traditional management.
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In the high mountains of Aigüestortes National Park, scree slopes, meadows, and scrub form a mosaic shaped by climate, aspect, and substrate; water and snow show marked seasonal changes.
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Open herbaceous communities with a marked succession of blooms and visitors.
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In Rocky Mountain National Park, alpine tundra develops under cold and intense winds that restrict plant growth; in alpine environments, snow and the timing of snowmelt also influence plant communities.
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Oleander, tamarisk and broom formations belong to southeastern riparian vegetation. Dryness and irregular water distinguish these environments from permanently wet riverbanks.
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Along this rocky stretch of the U.S. Pacific coast, tides alternate immersion and exposure to the air; waves and competition for space characterize the environment, and tide pools retain water among the rocks at low tide.
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The meeting zone of land and sea, with beaches, rocky shores and other settings shaped by waves and tides.
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In the high Pyrenees of Lleida, the glacial lakes of Aigüestortes occupy valley floors and mountain cirques; ice shaped the relief, and in some places infilling transformed former lakes into wet meadows and winding watercourses.
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Rock, sand and Posidonia seagrass meadows form an underwater mosaic off the Murcia coast. Seabed relief and water masses contribute to the diversity of its communities.
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An aquatic or seasonally flooded environment shaped by its water regime.
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Marine waters away from shore, structured by light, depth, currents and nutrient supply.
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Along the Valencian coast, Posidonia oceanica seagrass meadows form a Mediterranean habitat associated with coastal marine waters, with ecological importance and a role in protecting the coastline from erosion.
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In the Cantabrian Mountains, the mountain rivers of Picos de Europa descend from the peaks toward the valleys through gorges and canyons, in a rugged landscape shaped by snow and spring snowmelt.
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Flowing and still inland waters whose life depends on discharge, depth and links to their shores.
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A bog is an acidic, nutrient-poor peatland whose vegetation may include mound-forming sphagnum; the evidence places bayheads, a type of bog, in forests of the Gulf Coast states.
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Underground spaces with gradients of light, moisture and organic inputs from outside.
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This profile covers continental karst caves in mainland Spain, focusing on their geological context, distribution, and underground forms, and includes a specific record of Pyrenean caves being used as hibernation refuges.
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Beneath beech trees, fallen leaves form a habitat for small animals with different diets. Moisture, terrain and the autumn input of leaves help explain how this community is organised.
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Urban mosaics whose biodiversity depends on design, management and links to other green spaces.
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Lamiako is a wetland setting beside the Nervión estuary in Leioa. Tidal influence and modified land are part of its landscape.
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Ribalta is a historic garden in Castelló de la Plana with a wide botanical variety. Its Romantic design invites visitors to discover nature within the city.
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In Soba, Cantabria, the Gándara River spring is the discharge point of an underground karst system in carbonate rocks. Official information describes focused and diffuse springs, and an independent tracer test confirms that water infiltrated at El Bernacho, Burgos, reaches the Gándara springs.
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Beneath Doñana’s junipers, sandy soil supports bacterial and fungal communities linked to the vegetation. Roots and plant remains connect this underground habitat with events at the surface.
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A mosaic of pores, roots and organic matter that shelters organisms and supports essential ecological processes.
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Plants can establish in vacant lots and open ground without garden planting. Their vegetation offers a nearby way to explore urban nature.
Open profileRelated reading
Documentary photograph
Photo by
Alvesgaspar
Source: Wikimedia Commons
CC BY-SA 3.0
resized and converted to WebP
Relationships between species · 3 min
Nectar, pollen, fruit and seeds connect stories that at first seem independent.
Documentary photograph
Photo by
Ralf Lotys (Sicherlich)
Source: Wikimedia Commons
CC BY 3.0
resized and converted to WebP
Inside the forest · 3 min
A fallen trunk is not the end of a story: it is shelter, food and the setting for a slow transformation.
Documentary photograph
Photo by
cottonbro studio
Source: Pexels
Pexels License
resized and converted to WebP
Life near you · 3 min
A date, a place, some context and one simple question are enough to begin seeing differently.