The ecology of Hong Kong is mostly affected by the results of climatic changes. Hong Kong's climate is seasonal due to alternating wind direction between winter and summer.
Hong Kong has been geologically stable for millions of years. Flora and fauna in Hong Kong are altered by climatic change, sea level alternation, and human impact.
Hong Kong's climate is subtropical but half the year is temperate. The territory is situated South of the tropic of Cancer which is equal to Hawaii in latitude. In winter, strong and cold wind generates from the North to Hong Kong; in summer, the wind reverses in direction and brings the warm and humid air from the South. This climate would support a tropical rainforest.
The total land area of Hong Kong is 1,076 square kilometers, but about 75% of this land is open countryside, which contains more than 2600 species of vascular plants, about 450 species of birds, about 200 species of butterflies, about 100 species of dragonflies, 40 species of mammals, 80 species of reptiles and more than 20 species of amphibians, including some species endemic to the territory.
Hong Kong is considered rich in number of species. The number of species of birds in Hong Kong is one third of that in China while the number of butterflies species is also one sixth of the total butterfly species in China according to surveys reported.
Mangroves are habitats of enclosed intertidal mud flats with wave action greatly reduced, located near sources of fresh water. Popular mangrove habitats in Hong Kong are located along Deep Bay, such as Pak Nai and Tsim Bei Tsui, where salinity is very low under the influence of fresh water from the Pearl River, and along some mud flats where salinity is lowered by surrounding streams, such as Three Fathoms Cove and Ting Kok. Trees living in this habitat are called mangrove trees.