An
ecoregion (
ecological region) is an
ecologically and geographically defined area that is smaller than a
bioregion, which in turn is smaller than an
ecozone. All three of these are either less or greater than an
ecosystem. Ecoregions cover relatively large areas of land or water, and contain characteristic, geographically distinct assemblages of natural
communities and
species. The
biodiversity of
flora,
fauna and
ecosystems that characterise an ecoregion tends to be distinct from that of other ecoregions. In theory, biodiversity or conservation ecoregions are relatively large areas of land or water where the probability of encountering different species and communities at any given point remain relatively constant, within an acceptable range of variation (largely undefined at this point).