Your Guide to Plant Care

The Southern Ocean (SO) realm is the vast, cold marine region surrounding the continent of Antarctica. It is defined by the Antarctic Circumpolar Current, the world's strongest ocean current, which effectively isolates its waters from warmer northern oceans.

The Temperate Australasia (TU) marine realm encompasses the temperate waters surrounding the southern half of Australia and all of New Zealand. This region is characterized by high levels of marine endemism, particularly among its seaweeds, fish, and invertebrates.

The Temperate Southern Africa (TF) realm covers the temperate waters where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans meet. It includes the coastal and shelf waters of South Africa and Namibia, as well as remote islands like Amsterdam and Saint-Paul.

The Temperate South America (TS) marine realm comprises the temperate and subtropical waters surrounding South America, including both its Pacific and Atlantic coasts.

The Tropical Eastern Pacific (TE) realm extends along the Pacific coast of the Americas from the tip of Baja California to northern Peru. It is a unique and dynamic region influenced by seasonal upwelling, which supports high levels of primary productivity.

The Eastern Indo-Pacific realm comprises the tropical waters surrounding the volcanic islands of the central Pacific Ocean. It includes most of Polynesia (except New Zealand), the Marshall Islands, and Hawaii.

The Central Indo-Pacific (CI) realm is the global epicenter of marine biodiversity, centered on the "Coral Triangle" in Southeast Asia. It encompasses the seas surrounding the northern half of Australia, the Indonesian archipelago, the Philippines, and parts of Melanesia. This realm contains over 75% of the world’s coral species and more than 2,000 species of reef fish.

The Western Indo-Pacific realm covers the western and central portions of the Indian Ocean. This includes the east coast of Africa, the Red Sea, the Persian Gulf, and island groups such as the Seychelles, Maldives, and Madagascar.

The Tropical Atlantic (TA) realm extends across the tropical waters on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. In the west, it covers the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico, and the coast of Brazil; in the east, it stretches along the African coast from Mauritania to Angola.

The Temperate Northern Pacific (TP) realm covers the temperate coastal and shelf waters of the North Pacific, spanning from Japan and Russia in the west to North America in the east. It is defined by its nutrient-rich waters and highly productive ecosystems