Biotope
ξ an area of uniform environmental conditions providing a living place for a specific assemblage of plants and animals
ξ a biological community
ξ an English loanword derived from the German "Biotop"
ξ the Greek bios='life or organism' and topos='place'
ξ the term is more widely known as a touchstone word in the preservation of the environment
ξ the concept of a biotope was first advocated by Ernst Haeckel (1834-1919), a German zoologist famous for the recapitulation theory
ξ he stressed the importance of the concept of habitat as a prerequisite for an organism's existence
ξ with one ecosystem, its biota is shaped by environmental factors (such as water, soil, and geographical features) and interaction among living things;
ξ the original idea of a biotope was closely related to evolutional theory
ξ F.Dahl, a professor at the Berlin Zoological Museum, referred to this ecological system as a "biotope" (biotop) (1908)

Microscale
ξ a biotope is generally not considered to be a large-scale phenomenon
ξ a microscopic approach to preserving the ecosystem and biological diversity
ξ biotopes fit into ordinary people's daily activities and lives
ξ more people can participate in biotope creation and continuing management

Biotope Network
ξ biotopes should not be isolated
ξ need to be connected to each other and other surrounding life
ξ without these connections to life-forms such as animals and plants, biotopes would not effectively work as a place in which diverse organisms live
ξ to regenerate biotopes it is better to plan a stretch of biotopes, not just a point where animals and plants come and go
ξ the centre of the network would be large green tracts of land: a forest, natural park, or cemetery
ξ by connecting parcels of land with smaller biotope areas such as a green belt along the river, small town parks, gardens, or even roadside trees, biotopes can exist in a network
ξ a biotope is an open not a closed system and is a practicable strategy

In human daily life
ξ an active part of human daily life
ξ an area which has many functions, such as human living space, and is home to other living things whether plant or animal

Artificial
ξ when artificial items are introduced to a biotope setting, the design and arrangement of these specific items is of great importance for biotope regeneration
ξ tree-planting areas where the surface is uneven results in plants which sprout and the nesting of small insects
ξ a mat or net made from natural fibres will gradually biodegrade as it is exposed to the weather
ξ there is not binomial opposition between the natural and the artificial in a biotope