Factors That Determine a Large Distribution of a Type of Ecosystem

Similar Climate

• One of the most important factors determining the range of an ecosystem is the similarity of the climate over a certain area. If a relatively large area shares a similar climate, it is much more likely to be able to support a largely distributed ecosystem as well, because plants, animals and other forms of life tend to thrive in certain climates and struggle in others.

Similar Geography

• Similarly, the geography of an area is also an important factor in determining the range of the ecosystem. For example, even if two areas have a similar climate, their ecosystems may be vastly different if they do not have the same types of soil or amount of surface water.

Lack of Barriers

• Unlike humans, animals often struggle to move beyond certain natural barriers, such as large bodies of water or mountain ranges. If such barriers are present, migrations of animals may be limited, meaning that two otherwise similar areas may have different ecosystems simply because certain groups of animals were physically unable to move freely between the two areas.

Human Involvement

• One of the most significant factors in determining the character and distribution of an ecosystem is human involvement. When humans move into a previously unpopulated area, they generally have a drastic impact on the ecosystem. A human settlement could cut a previously contiguous ecosystem into separate parts that then develop differently, for example.