The Balandra Biosphere consist of mangrove, beach and dune ecosystems

A biome is a group of ecosystems that shares similar flora, fauna, microorganisms and climate. While an ecosystem is defined as the dynamic interactions between  flora, fauna, microorganisms and their  environment working together as a functional unit.The main difference between the two is that a biome consist of many similar ecosystems throughout the world grouped together. One of the problems  encountered in the classification system of biomes and ecosystems is the transition zones  that can make it difficult to determine  exactly where one system begins and another ends. In any case,, roughly 29 percent of the land in Mexico is considered to be in desert or shrubland biomes while another 30 percent of the land consist of several different forest biomes.  Additionally, Mexico is said to have 51 distinct ecosystems which makes it the most biologically diverse country in Latin American. For example, some of the ecosystems in the forest biomes of this country alone include coniferous forest, oak forest, tropical semi deciduous forest, mixed forest, cloud forest, deciduous forest and evergreen forest just to mention a few of the 51 possibilities. The photo essay below depicts a few of these ecosystems and includes additional information.

a desert environment with shrubland ecosystem

a wetland ecosystem in the mountainous shrubland environment of San Miguel de Allende

estuary ecosytem in the costal environment of San Jose

a mountainous shrubland environment with desert ecosystem in baja california sur

an oasis ecosystem in the desert environment of baja california sur

Tropical semi deciduous forest in the coastal environment of Puerto Morales

These lavender fields represent a cultivated crop ecosystem within a mountainous shrubland environment

worlds 2nd tallest monolith in the shrubland environment of Queretaro

a cultivated crop ecosystem in the state of Jalisco

evegreen forest ecosystem in the mountainous environment of baja california norte

a cultivated oasis in el purisma withinin the xerbic shrubland environment of baja california sur

alpine environment with a mixed forest ecosystem. In this area the ecosystems are a function of the altitude and they change rapidly

this is a protected island ecosytem of espirito santocosystemem in the aquatic environment of the sea of cortez

a cloud forest ecosystem located in the mountainous enviroment of baja california sur

a rocky coastal ecosystem located in the desert environment of baja california sur