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Ecosystem types reflect ecological processes, and provide a practical way to understand and conserve biodiversity.  They provide an important compliment to conservation of individual species. By classifying and describing ecosystem types, we can conduct inventories and map their location and extent. By understanding native species composition, and the key ecological attributes that determine that composition, we can evaluate their condition and better understand the effects of human land or water use.  This knowledge forms a foundation for conservation action.

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Upland ecosystems of mixed-grass prairie and Ponderosa pine woodlands near Boulder, Colorado. Photo by Patrick Comer | NatureServe.
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Upland ecosystems of mixed-grass prairie and Ponderosa pine woodlands near Boulder, Colorado. Photo by Patrick Comer | NatureServe.