Definition of habitat – What it is, Meaning and Concept

Habitat is a term that refers to the place that presents the appropriate conditions so that lives a organism, species or animal or plant community. It is, therefore, the space in which a biological population can reside and reproduce, in a way that ensures perpetuating its presence on the planet.

It is very interesting to note that a habitat can be found in the most diverse geographical places: as well as a bacterium it can make its home in a small pool in a big city, a mammal like the lion requires a much larger environment and with other characteristics.

Formation of a habitat and influence of people

The habitat is given by a combination of biotic factors Y abiotic: this environment corresponds, therefore, with different geographical, climatological characteristics, etc.

It is important to bear in mind that both human action and certain natural phenomena can modify the habitat of a species, which entails a considerable series of changes to adapt to a new environment. From pollution to climate change, through the indiscriminate felling of trees and the extinction of dozens of animal species, the damage we cause to the planet seems to have no limits.

One of the most current examples of our lack of consideration for other species is the atmospheric pollution, caused by global warming, which results in the melting of glaciers. As might be expected, the destruction of a habitat poses a serious danger to the subsistence of the species associated with it; in this case, the most direct victim is the polar bear, which is in danger of extinction.

The concept according to human ecology and urban planning

Human ecology and urban planning, which study the relationship of a population with its environment, speak of human habitat to refer to the series of material and institutional elements that condition the life of a group of people in a certain area. This same term is used by architects to refer to the characteristics of an organized and conditioned environment for the lifetime or to develop a work activity, as well as the possibilities it gives to its inhabitants.

Human habitat must be classified or defined according to number of inhabitants, which varies considerably from case to case. Each country has a series of features cultural and social that differentiate it from the rest, and this makes it very difficult to establish the minimum number of people that can make up a habitat of this type; For example, the dimensions of an average city are not the same throughout the world and this, in turn, is affected by the activities carried out there, the characteristics of the terrain and climate, and so on.

A fundamental aspect of a human habitat is the industrial and technological development, directly linked to the job and training opportunities offered to its inhabitants. Likewise, health centers represent one of the pillars of human organization in our times; Unlike animals, our species does not accept death or lead a healthy enough rhythm of life to cope with a simple temporary illness, so it depends on hospitals and drugs to keep up.

People we need art and entertainment, often united, to enrich ourselves; therefore, it is important that all town it has theaters, cinemas, museums and cultural centers, among other areas of entertainment. With regard to the types of housing that we use, many and very different can be recognized: apartments, houses, huts, tents and farms are just a few examples. These, in turn, can be located in towns, villages, counties or cities, among other forms of establishment.