South American Natural Ecosystems, Status of

Abstract

The term ecoregion, as used in this article, refers to "natural" ecological systems, or terrestrial and aquatic areas as they were when Europeans first arrived in the New World. The original extent of natural ecoregions is presented, grouped by bioregion, major habitat type, and major ecosystem type. The definitions of these terms, given in the Glossary, are taken from Dinerstein et al. (1995); the rating codes are given in the footnotes to the table. Indications of the extent of remaining natural ecosystems, the threats to their continued existence, and the status of protected areas are discussed, together with priorities for conservation. © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.