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Scientists have built the most detailed map of the Earth's ecosystems
When you click the map will open in high resolution i>
Ecology, when it comes easier, is the science of relationships of living organisms, both among themselves and with the environment (including, with the lithosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere). Important concepts in ecology является ecosystem - a biological system consisting of a community of living organisms (biocenosis), their habitat (habitat) communication systems that exchange matter and energy between them. Links between ecosystems are also extremely important - if some of them broken, it can lead to unpredictable consequences.
A few days ago, scientists have presented the most detailed map of the Earth's ecosystems, called Global Ecological Land Unit map . The basic unit of the card is a square with sides 250 meters. On each square shows the characteristics such as climate, topography, and the type of terrain - from virgin forests to the pavement. Each pixel maps can be described, for example, such as warm humid hills of volcanic rock predominantly evergreen forests.
Create maps long and meticulously, representatives of US Geological Survey collected data from a variety of resources, including soil maps, digital terrain models, photos from satellites, data from weather stations. The collected data to get not just a lot, but very much, and all of this information was necessary to somehow organize. For this service representatives appealed to the company Esri, for many years engaged in the creation of maps. This results in a service which reference is made above.
Resolution maps - unprecedented, and the service will be of great importance for a variety of scientists and various services. So, when planning the use of land will be to understand what will, for example, the construction of this site, or what the consequences will be planting trees in the desert. Map also can be tracked as a change in the ecosystem due to the climatic conditions. For beginners as environmentalists, scientists have created a another service , allowing you to examine the ecological diversity of the world.
Source: geektimes.ru/post/246068/