Compare biodiversity, environmental controls, and seasonal dynamics across global park habitats
Habitats in national parks
Compare forests, grasslands, wetlands, alpine meadows, and marine habitats. Read about their ecology and find parks where they occur.
How vegetation, climate, soils, and natural disturbances interact to sustain living systems
Global Classification of National Park Habitats and Ecological Communities
- Topics represented
- 23
- Matching parks
- 5,671
- Countries
- 180
Track variations in vegetation structure, seasonal cycles, and hydrology across wild zones
Compare National Park Habitats and Protected Forest, Grassland, and Marine Ecosystems
01Habitat type
Temperate broadleaf forest
Temperate broadleaf forest is a recurring ecological setting across protected areas. Understanding its climate, vegetation, wildlife, soils, water, and seasonal dynamics helps explain why parks with the same habitat can still look and function differently.
- Matching parks
- 1,986
- Countries
- 124
02Habitat type
Temperate coniferous forest
Temperate coniferous forest is a recurring ecological setting across protected areas. Understanding its climate, vegetation, wildlife, soils, water, and seasonal dynamics helps explain why parks with the same habitat can still look and function differently.
- Matching parks
- 1,009
- Countries
- 75
03Habitat type
Boreal forest
Boreal forest is a recurring ecological setting across protected areas. Understanding its climate, vegetation, wildlife, soils, water, and seasonal dynamics helps explain why parks with the same habitat can still look and function differently.
- Matching parks
- 222
- Countries
- 36
04Habitat type
Mediterranean forest
Mediterranean forest is a recurring ecological setting across protected areas. Understanding its climate, vegetation, wildlife, soils, water, and seasonal dynamics helps explain why parks with the same habitat can still look and function differently.
- Matching parks
- 173
- Countries
- 30
05Habitat type
Tropical forest
Tropical forest is a recurring ecological setting across protected areas. Understanding its climate, vegetation, wildlife, soils, water, and seasonal dynamics helps explain why parks with the same habitat can still look and function differently.
- Matching parks
- 1,083
- Countries
- 105
06Habitat type
Montane forest
Montane forest is a recurring ecological setting across protected areas. Understanding its climate, vegetation, wildlife, soils, water, and seasonal dynamics helps explain why parks with the same habitat can still look and function differently.
- Matching parks
- 1,337
- Countries
- 128
07Habitat type
Alpine meadow
Alpine meadow is a recurring ecological setting across protected areas. Understanding its climate, vegetation, wildlife, soils, water, and seasonal dynamics helps explain why parks with the same habitat can still look and function differently.
- Matching parks
- 576
- Countries
- 79
08Habitat type
Grassland habitat
Grassland habitat is a recurring ecological setting across protected areas. Understanding its climate, vegetation, wildlife, soils, water, and seasonal dynamics helps explain why parks with the same habitat can still look and function differently.
- Matching parks
- 1,337
- Countries
- 123
09Habitat type
Savanna
Savanna is a recurring ecological setting across protected areas. Understanding its climate, vegetation, wildlife, soils, water, and seasonal dynamics helps explain why parks with the same habitat can still look and function differently.
- Matching parks
- 238
- Countries
- 54
10Habitat type
Steppe habitat
Steppe habitat is a recurring ecological setting across protected areas. Understanding its climate, vegetation, wildlife, soils, water, and seasonal dynamics helps explain why parks with the same habitat can still look and function differently.
- Matching parks
- 170
- Countries
- 38
11Habitat type
Heath habitat
Heath habitat is a recurring ecological setting across protected areas. Understanding its climate, vegetation, wildlife, soils, water, and seasonal dynamics helps explain why parks with the same habitat can still look and function differently.
- Matching parks
- 184
- Countries
- 21
12Habitat type
Shrubland
Shrubland is a recurring ecological setting across protected areas. Understanding its climate, vegetation, wildlife, soils, water, and seasonal dynamics helps explain why parks with the same habitat can still look and function differently.
- Matching parks
- 678
- Countries
- 90
13Habitat type
Wetland habitat
Wetland habitat is a recurring ecological setting across protected areas. Understanding its climate, vegetation, wildlife, soils, water, and seasonal dynamics helps explain why parks with the same habitat can still look and function differently.
- Matching parks
- 2,521
- Countries
- 152
14Habitat type
Peatland
Peatland is a recurring ecological setting across protected areas. Understanding its climate, vegetation, wildlife, soils, water, and seasonal dynamics helps explain why parks with the same habitat can still look and function differently.
- Matching parks
- 456
- Countries
- 45
15Habitat type
Riverine habitat
Riverine habitat is a recurring ecological setting across protected areas. Understanding its climate, vegetation, wildlife, soils, water, and seasonal dynamics helps explain why parks with the same habitat can still look and function differently.
- Matching parks
- 2,272
- Countries
- 145
16Habitat type
Lacustrine habitat
Lacustrine habitat is a recurring ecological setting across protected areas. Understanding its climate, vegetation, wildlife, soils, water, and seasonal dynamics helps explain why parks with the same habitat can still look and function differently.
- Matching parks
- 903
- Countries
- 116
17Habitat type
Coastal habitat
Coastal habitat is a recurring ecological setting across protected areas. Understanding its climate, vegetation, wildlife, soils, water, and seasonal dynamics helps explain why parks with the same habitat can still look and function differently.
- Matching parks
- 1,262
- Countries
- 130
18Habitat type
Marine habitat
Marine habitat is a recurring ecological setting across protected areas. Understanding its climate, vegetation, wildlife, soils, water, and seasonal dynamics helps explain why parks with the same habitat can still look and function differently.
- Matching parks
- 755
- Countries
- 109
19Habitat type
Dune habitat
Dune habitat is a recurring ecological setting across protected areas. Understanding its climate, vegetation, wildlife, soils, water, and seasonal dynamics helps explain why parks with the same habitat can still look and function differently.
- Matching parks
- 188
- Countries
- 64
20Habitat type
Desert habitat
Desert habitat is a recurring ecological setting across protected areas. Understanding its climate, vegetation, wildlife, soils, water, and seasonal dynamics helps explain why parks with the same habitat can still look and function differently.
- Matching parks
- 226
- Countries
- 40
21Habitat type
Tundra habitat
Tundra habitat is a recurring ecological setting across protected areas. Understanding its climate, vegetation, wildlife, soils, water, and seasonal dynamics helps explain why parks with the same habitat can still look and function differently.
- Matching parks
- 92
- Countries
- 22
22Habitat type
Glacial habitat
Glacial habitat is a recurring ecological setting across protected areas. Understanding its climate, vegetation, wildlife, soils, water, and seasonal dynamics helps explain why parks with the same habitat can still look and function differently.
- Matching parks
- 123
- Countries
- 35
23Habitat type
Karst habitat
Karst habitat is a recurring ecological setting across protected areas. Understanding its climate, vegetation, wildlife, soils, water, and seasonal dynamics helps explain why parks with the same habitat can still look and function differently.
- Matching parks
- 383
- Countries
- 67
National parks and protected areas
Open the park directory to find locations and individual park profiles.