Habitats can be defined in the landscape as mappable units and include both biotic and abiotic characteristics. This section of the Natural History of Nova Scotia deals with the habitats that occur naturally within the province. It is intended to serve both as a guide to recognition and initial investigation of these habitats in the field. The treatment of plants and animals in the habitat descriptions deals with the common and conspicuous. The habitats are further divided into species associations, which provides the basis for understanding plants and animals within a habitat. The plants and animals subjects provide a guide to the Nova Scotia species, but for more detailed information the reader must consult more specialized texts.

The description of each habitat is, as far as possible, based upon readily visible characteristics and provides sufficient information for one to gain understanding of the factors that give rise to those characteristics. The habitats described in this section occur naturally in Nova Scotia, that is, their function and structure is primarily natural.

This Document Includes:

Definition
Relationship to Ecological (Biophysical) Land Classifications
Variations Within Habitats
Succession
Ecotone
Ecosystem
Plants and Animals

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Additional Keywords:
managed habitats, regenerating habitats