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| Introduction | Ecuador
Flora | Ecuador Fauna |
| Ecosystems of Ecuador | Ecuador
National Parks & Reserves |
Introduction
Ecuador is one the planet’s top 17 most biologically diverse nations.
The nation’s drastic geographic and climatic variations have led
to evolution of thousands of species of flora and fauna, most of which
thrive in habitats protected by the State and by private organizations.
Despite its tiny size, Ecuador is home to rain forests, jungles, mountains,
islands, deserts, valleys, and snowcapped peaks. One of its main attractions
is the Galapagos Archipelago and its marine reserve, which contain endemic
species unique to the area.
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Flora
Ecuador is home to ten percent of the world’s plant species, the
majority of which grow in the northeastern Amazon, where an estimated
10,000 species thrive. The diversity of the climate here has given rise
to more than 25,000 species of trees. Moreover, the Andes is home to an
estimated 8,200 plant and vegetable species. In the orchid family alone,
2,725 species have been identified in the area. In the Galapagos, there
are about 600 native species and 250 more which were introduced by man.
Three of the twelve key biodiversity zones identified by the naturalist
Norman Myers can be found on the Ecuadorian mainland.
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Fauna
Ecuador is home to 8 percent of the world’s animal
species and 18 percent of the planet’s birds. Around 3,800 species
of vertebrates have been identified in Ecuador as well as 1,550 species
of mammals, 350 reptile species, 375 species of amphibians, 800 fresh
water fish species, and 450 salt water fish species. Ecuador is also home
to 15 percent of the world’s endemic bird species. Moreover, there
are more than a million species of insects and 4,500 species of butterflies
that live in Ecuador.
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Ecosystems
The ecosystems which exist in the country go from sea level to an altitude
of around 6400 metres. Its total area is 14,583,227 hectares, including
the highlands, the coast and the Amazon region. There are 46 ecosystems
which are made up of paramo, woods, valleys and the Pacific Ocean, located
in different climate zones. One of the ecosystems which is richest in
biodiversity is the tropical rain forest, which large trees of different
and numerous species and an abundance of plants, flowers, mammals, reptiles,
birds, invertebrates, fish and amphibians.
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Natural Parks and Reserves
There are 10 national parks, 14 natural reserves, a wild
life refuge and a recreation area which are considered natural heritage
and protected by the State. They cover an area of around 4,669,871 hectares
of land and 14,110,000 of water, divided into four regions. The biodiversity
is the main wealth of these areas, although there are also a number of
communities in the urban sector as well as indigenous and country people
in the rural area.
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| Introduction | Ecuador
Flora | Ecuador Fauna |
| Ecosystems of Ecuador | Ecuador
National Parks & Reserves |
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Culture
Ecology
of Ecuador
