ecological islands

Ecological islands are isolated environments—such as lakes, mountains, or patches of forest—separated from larger ecosystems by barriers like water or human development. These "islands" support unique communities of plants and animals adapted to their specific conditions. They often have limited species diversity and are important for studying evolution, conservation, and how species adapt to isolated settings. Despite being called "islands," they can be land-based or aquatic but share the common feature of physical or environmental separation from similar habitats.