The IUCN Global Ecosystem Typology is a classification framework for Earth’s ecosystems that integrates their functional and compositional features. It aims to help identify the ecosystems that are most critical for biodiversity conservation, research, management and human well-being into the future.
When using the tool, users are encouraged to first choose a realm of interest, which include four core realms: terrestrial, marine, freshwater and subterranean. After doing so, there is more to learn on their biomes and ecosystem functional groups.
Next to the four core realms, the tool also includes six transitional realms: marine-terrestrial, subterranean-freshwater, freshwater-marine, marine-freshwater-terrestrial, subterranean-marine and terrestrial-freshwater.