An ecosystem is defined as place having unique physical features, encompassing air, water, and land, and habitats supporting plant and animal life. EPA supports environmental planning that addresses all the factors, both natural and human, affecting an ecosystems of a given region. An example of protecting an ecosystem is the watershed approach in which all pollution sources and habitat conditions in a watershed are considered in developing strategies for restoring and maintaining a healthy ecosystem. EPA protects ecosystems that support plant, animal, and aquatic life through a combination of regulatory and voluntary programs designed to reduce the amount of pollutants entering their environment.

Recommended EPA Web pages

• Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (EMAP)
  Data, metadata, data set descriptions and documents from EPA`s Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program
• Ecological Research Program
  Provides information on research conducted by the Ecological Research Program to identify, quantify and assess the goods and services of ecoysystems.
• Climate Change
  Site gives information and links to information on global warming.

Aquatic Ecosystems
Aquaculture, Coral Reefs, Estuaries, Freshwater Ecosystems, Lakes, Marine Ecosystems, Oceans, Shellfish Protection

Ecological Monitoring
Ecological Assessment, Environmental Indicators

Ecological Restoration

Landscape Ecology

Mines
Abandoned Mine

Soils
Erosion, Leaching

Species
Endangered Species, Exotic Species

Terrestrial Ecosystems
Coasts, Forests, Urban Ecosystems, Watersheds, Wetlands