The habitat types listed below are standard terms used to describe the major habitat/s in which taxa occur. If recorded, these habitats are listed on the Fact Sheet page for each taxon.

The three levels of the hierarchy are self-explanatory, as they use familiar habitat terms that take into account biogeography, latitudinal zonation and depth in marine systems. The inland aquatic habitats are based primarily on the classification system of wetland types used by the Ramsar Convention (see http://www.ramsar.org/ris/key_ris.htm#type). It is acknowledged that the classification scheme used here is not satisfactory, hence a review of the scheme is underway.

1. Forest

1.1. Boreal

1.2. Subarctic

1.3. Subantarctic

1.4. Temperate

1.5. Subtropical/Tropical Dry

1.6. Subtropical/Tropical Moist Lowland

1.7. Subtropical/Tropical Mangrove Vegetation Above High Tide Level

1.8. Subtropical/Tropical Swamp

1.9. Subtropical/Tropical Moist Montane

2. Savanna

2.1. Dry Savanna

2.2. Moist Savana

3. Shrubland

3.1. Subarctic

3.2. Subantarctic

3.3. Boreal

3.4. Temperate

3.5. Subtropical/Tropical Dry

3.6. Subtropical/Tropical Moist

3.7. Subtropical/Tropical High Altitude

3.8. Mediterranean-type Shrubby Vegetation

4. Grassland

4.1. Tundra

4.2. Subarctic

4.3. Subantarctic

4.4. Temperate

4.5. Subtropical/Tropical Dry Lowland

4.6. Subtropical/Tropical Seasonally Wet/Flooded Lowland

4.7. Subtropical/Tropical High Altitude

5. Wetlands (inland)

5.1. Permanent Rivers/Streams/Creeks [includes waterfalls]

5.2. Seasonal/Intermittent/Irregular Rivers/Streams/Creeks

5.3. Shrub Dominated Wetlands

5.4. Bogs, Marshes, Swamps, Fens, Peatlands

5.5. Permanent Freshwater Lakes [over 8 ha]

5.6. Seasonal/Intermittent Freshwater Lakes [over 8 ha]

5.7. Permanent Freshwater Marshes/Pools [under 8 ha]

5.8. Seasonal/Intermittent Freshwater Marshes/Pools [under 8 ha]

5.9. Freshwater Springs and Oases

5.10. Tundra Wetlands [includes pools and temporary waters from snowmelt]

5.11. Alpine Wetlands [includes temporary waters from snowmelt]

5.12. Geothermal Wetlands

5.13. Permanent Inland Deltas

5.14. Permanent Saline, Brackish or Alkaline Lakes

5.15. Seasonal/Intermittent Saline, Brackish or Alkaline Lakes and Flats

5.16. Permanent Saline, Brackish or Alkaline Marshes/Pools

5.17. Seasonal/Intermittent Saline, Brackish or Alkaline Marshes/Pools

5.18. Karst and Other Subterranean Hydrological Systems [inland]

6. Rocky Areas [e.g. inland cliffs, mountain peaks]

7. Caves and Subterranean Habitats (non-aquatic)

7.1. Caves

7.2. Other Subterranean Habitats

8. Desert

8.1. Hot

8.2. Temperate

8.3. Cold

9. Marine Neritic (Submergent Nearshore Continental Shelf or Oceanic Island)

9.1. Pelagic

9.2. Subtidal Rock and Rocky Reefs

9.3. Subtidal Loose Rock/Pebble/Gravel

9.4. Subtidal Sandy

9.5. Subtidal Sandy-Mud

9.6. Subtidal Muddy

9.7. Macroalgal/Kelp

9.8. Coral Reef

9.8.1. Outer Reef Channel

9.8.2. Back Slope

9.8.3. Foreslope (Outer Reef Slope)

9.8.4. Lagoon

9.8.5. Inter-Reef Soft Substrate

9.8.6. Inter-Reef Rubble Substrate

9.9. Seagrass (Submerged)

9.10. Estuaries

10. Marine Oceanic

10.1. Epipelagic (0-200 m)

10.2. Mesopelagic (200-1,000 m)

10.3. Bathypelagic (1,000-4,000 m)

10.4. Abyssopelagic (4,000-6,000 m)

11. Marine Deep Benthic

11.1. Continental Slope/Bathyl Zone (200-4,000 m)

11.1.1. Hard Substrate

11.1.2. Soft Substrate

11.2. Abyssal Plain (4,000-6,000 m)

11.3. Abyssal Mountain/Hills (4,000-6,000 m)

11.4. Hadal/Deep Sea Trench (>6,000 m)

11.5. Seamount

11.6. Deep Sea Vents (Rifts/Seeps)

12. Marine Intertidal

12.1. Rocky Shoreline

12.2. Sandy Shoreline and/or Beaches, Sand Bars, Spits, Etc.

12.3. Shingle and/or Pebble Shoreline and/or Beaches

12.4. Mud Flats and Salt Flats

12.5. Salt Marshes (Emergent Grasses)

12.6. Tidepools

12.7. Mangrove Submerged Roots

13 Marine Coastal/Supratidal

13.1. Sea Cliffs and Rocky Offshore Islands

13.2. Coastal Caves/Karst

13.3. Coastal Sand Dunes

13.4. Coastal Brackish/Saline Lagoons/Marine Lakes

13.5. Coastal Freshwater Lakes

14. Artificial - Terrestrial

14.1. Arable Land

14.2. Pastureland

14.3. Plantations

14.4. Rural Gardens

14.5. Urban Areas

14.6. Subtropical/Tropical Heavily Degraded Former Forest

15. Artificial - Aquatic

15.1. Water Storage Areas (over 8 ha)

15.2. Ponds (below 8 ha)

15.3. Aquaculture Ponds

15.4. Salt Exploitation Sites

15.5. Excavations (open)

15.6. Wastewater Treatment Areas

15.7. Irrigated Land [includes irrigation channels]

15.8. Seasonally Flooded Agricultural Land

15.9. Canals and Drainage Channels, Ditches

15.10. Karst and Other Subterranean Hydrological Systems [human-made]

15.11. Marine Anthropogenic Structures

15.12. Mariculture Cages

15.13. Mari/Brackish-culture Ponds

16. Introduced Vegetation

17. Other

18. Unknown