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

This marine realm encompasses the temperate and subtropical waters of the North Atlantic, including the Mediterranean Sea, the Black Sea, and the northern Gulf of Mexico. It is a region of high productivity, influenced by major current systems like the Gulf Stream.

The Arctic marine realm is centered on the Arctic Ocean and includes the northernmost coastal areas of Eurasia and North America. It is characterized by the presence of sea ice and waters that remain near or below freezing for much of the year.

Global biogeographical realms represent the broadest ecological divisions of Earth’s surface, categorised by distinct evolutionary histories, geographic barriers, and unique species distributions. To structure macro-ecological data and resource management, scientists partition the biosphere into 8 terrestrial realms and 12 marine realms. This macro-regional framework provides critical insights into the distribution of living (biotic) and non-living (abiotic) resources...

The Palearctic (PA) realm of the Earth, the largest of eight biogeographical realms. Confined almost entirely to the Eastern Hemisphere, it stretches across Europe and Asia, north of the foothills of the Himalayas, and North Africa.

The Oceania (OC) realm includes a diverse range of islands across the Pacific Ocean, such as the small, culturally rich islands of Micronesia, the lush Fijian Islands, and the volcanic Hawaiian Islands. Polynesia is also part of this realm. Oceania comprises over 4,500 islands, 6500 plant and 340 verterbrate species.

The Neotropic or Neotropical (NT) realm is one of the eight terrestrial realms. This realm includes Florida, Central Florida, South America, Central America, the Caribbean Islands, and southern North America. In Mexico, the Yucatán Peninsula and southern lowlands, and most of the east and west coastlines, including the southern tip of the Baja California Peninsula

The Nearctic (NA) realm is recognised as one of the eight distinct biogeographic realms that make up the terrestrial surface of our planet. This realm primarily encompasses the vast expanse of Northern America, which stretches from the frigid northern reaches of Canada down to the warmer climates of northern Mexico.

The Antarctic (AN) is one of the eight major biogeographical realms, consisting mainly of a single bioregion covering the mainland continent of Antarctica. It also includes two marine bioregions: the Antarctic Peninsula & Scotia Sea and the Subantarctic Indian Ocean Islands. Most of Continental Antarctica is inhospitable, but it has some coastal tundra. The Antarctic Peninsula & Scotia Sea bioregion, extending towards South America, hosts abundant wildlife

The Afrotropical realm is one of the eight biogeographic realms on Earth. It encompasses Africa south of the Sahara Desert, most of the Arabian Peninsula, the island of Madagascar, southern Iran, extreme southwestern Pakistan, and the islands in the western Indian Ocean. Previously, it was referred to as the Ethiopian Zone or Ethiopian Region.

The Antarctic (AN) is one of the eight major biogeographical realms, consisting mainly of a single bioregion covering the mainland continent of Antarctica. It also includes two marine bioregions: the Antarctic Peninsula & Scotia Sea and the Subantarctic Indian Ocean Islands. Most of Continental Antarctica is inhospitable, but it has some coastal tundra. The Antarctic Peninsula & Scotia Sea bioregion, extending towards South America, hosts abundant wildlife

Australasia (AA), a region of Oceania, comprises Australia, New Zealand, the island of New Guinea, and neighbouring islands in the Pacific Ocean. Australasie named in 1756 by Charles de Brosses means "south of Asia" and differentiated the area from Polynesia (to the east) and the southeast Pacific (Magellanica)