List of ecoregions in Illinois

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Illinois ecoregion map prepared by the USEPA

The list of ecoregions in Illinois are lists of

World Wildlife Fund. Illinois' ecology is in a land area of 56,400 square miles (146,000 km2); the state is 385 miles (620 km) long and 218 miles (351 km) wide and is located between latitude: 36.9540° to 42.4951° N, and longitude: 87.3840° to 91.4244° W,[1] with primarily a humid continental climate
.

USEPA

The EPA ecoregion classification system has four levels, but only Levels I, III, and IV are shown on this list. Level I divides North America into 15 broad ecoregions (or

tall grass prairie, and is now largely used for agriculture or urbanized, although in its far south are the forested highlands of the Shawnee Hills and along its major rivers varying topography and biome occurs. Its larger ecoregion areas are 'corn belt' plains, known for rich, thick loess (in its north, center and east, particularly 54a) and the 'rivers and hills' region, which also has large till plains in Illinois' south (72j) and west (72i).[4]

Great Plains

Eastern Temperate Forest

These forests stretch from eastern Texas and northern Florida to the Adirondacks and Wisconsin. For a general description of these forests, refer to

Temperate Deciduous Forest. The standard reference is The Deciduous Forest of Eastern North America.[5]

World Wildlife Fund

Realm Biome Ecoregion State Location
Nearctic
Temperate broadleaf and mixed forests Central U.S. hardwood forests Southern Illinois
Nearctic
Temperate broadleaf and mixed forests Mississippi lowland forests Far Southern Illinois
Nearctic
Temperate broadleaf and mixed forests
Upper Midwest forest-savanna transition
Far Northern Illinois
Nearctic
Temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands
Central forest-grasslands transition
Northern and Central Illinois

See also

References

  1. ^ About Illinois Data and Statistics, retrieved 2013-02-10
  2. ^ "Ecological Regions of North America: Toward a Common Perspective". Commission for Environmental Cooperation. 1997. Retrieved 2013-02-07.
  3. ^ Plant Maps Interactive - Illinois Ecoregions (based on EPA data), retrieved 2013-02-10
  4. ^ "Ecoregion Maps and GIS Resources". United States Environmental Protection Agency. Retrieved 2013-02-07.
  5. ^ Braun, E. L. 1950. The Deciduous Forest of Eastern North America. New York: Hafner.

Further reading

  • Ricketts, Taylor H; Eric Dinerstein; David M. Olson; Colby J. Loucks; et al. (1999). Terrestrial Ecoregions of North America: a Conservation Assessment. Island Press;
    Washington, DC

External links