Nature English: Habitats and Ecosystems
Explain where living things live and how everything is connected.
Wetlands, heaths, grasslands and bogs – each habitat has its own plants and animals. Learn to describe habitats and explain how species depend on one another.
Key Words
Ten essential words with their German meaning and an example sentence.
| English | German | Example |
|---|---|---|
| habitat | Lebensraum | Hedgerows are an important habitat for birds. |
| ecosystem | Ökosystem | A pond is a small but complete ecosystem. |
| wetland | Feuchtgebiet | Wetlands store water and reduce flooding. |
| grassland | Grasland, Grünland | Wildflower-rich grassland has become rare. |
| heathland | Heide | Heathland is covered in heather that turns purple in late summer. |
| bog | Moor | Bogs store huge amounts of carbon in their peat. |
| food chain | Nahrungskette | Owls are near the top of the food chain. |
| biodiversity | Artenvielfalt | Old meadows have a high biodiversity. |
| to thrive | gedeihen, gut gedeihen | Orchids thrive on this chalky soil. |
| to adapt | sich anpassen | Many animals have adapted to life in cities. |
Word Partners
Natural English depends on words that belong together. Learn these as complete phrases.
- natural habitat
- fragile ecosystem
- food web
- to lose habitat
- to provide shelter
- wildlife corridor
- delicate balance
- to depend on
"Hedges act as wildlife corridors that connect small areas of habitat."
Useful Phrases
Sentence patterns you can use straight away.
Explaining connections
- …depends on… for food.
- If… disappears, … will also decline.
- …plays a key role in…
- …is at the top of the food chain.
Describing a habitat
- It's a mix of open grassland and scattered trees.
- The area floods every winter.
- The soil is poor and sandy.
- It's home to many rare species.
Talk About It
Answer these questions aloud, write a short paragraph, or discuss them with a partner.
- What kinds of habitats are there near your town?
- Which habitat do you find most beautiful?
- Why are wetlands and bogs important for the climate?
- What happens when one species disappears from a food chain?
Test Yourself
Click a question to see the answer.
1. False friend: what is the German "Moor" usually in English?
A bog. The English "moor" means open, high land with heather and grass.
2. What does "to thrive" mean?
To grow or develop very well.
3. What is "Nahrungskette" in English?
Food chain.
Explore More
Related topics on Talking English.
Talk about habitats and ecosystems.
Learn the words, use them in real sentences and share what you notice with others.
Everything is connected.