Montana valley and foothill grasslands

Coordinates: 45°31′N 112°21′W / 45.517°N 112.350°W / 45.517; -112.350
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Montana valley and foothill grasslands
Bison at the CSKT Bison Range
Ecology
RealmNearctic
Biometemperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands
Borders
List
Bird species214[1]
Mammal species88[1]
Geography
Area31,500 km2 (12,200 sq mi)
Countries
States
Conservation
Habitat loss26.375%[1]
Protected26.85%[1]

The Montana valley and foothill grasslands are an ecoregion of northwestern North America in the northern United States and southern Canada.

Setting

This area consists of rolling grassy hills and river valleys of the

Clark Fork/Bitterroot River systems among others. The ecoregion also contains outlying disconnected areas of similar habitat such as valleys of the Bow River in Alberta. The area has a moderate climate, warmed by the Chinook wind which brings dry, warm summers (average 14 °C) and winters that are mild for this latitude (ave. -8 °C).[2]

Flora

While the dominant vegetation are grasses such as

Snake-Columbia shrub steppe ecoregion. Finally the ecoregion contains parts of the Prairie Pothole Region
, large areas of wetland and rich grass on the Rocky Mountain Front steppe. Traditionally the grassland was reduced and then renewed by a combination of heavy grazing by bison and other ungulates and regular fires.

Fauna

The traditional wildlife of this area of included the large herds

mountain lions, mule deer, pronghorn and ground squirrels. Birds spotted in the Centennial Valley for example include grouse, sandhill crane and trumpeter swan
.

Threats and preservation

About 25% of the original grassland remains (less than 10% in Canada) and continues to decrease due to the rapid growth of the Rockies' population. Expansion of cities in both Montana and Alberta is removing habitat and blocking the movements of native species including grizzly bears, elk, mule deer and others. Growth is most intense in southwestern Montana, specifically in the Bitterroot Valley around Missoula and the area just north of Yellowstone National Park along the Gallatin River, namely in Bozeman and the resort town of Big Sky, and the Yellowstone River in Paradise Valley.

The area contains the largest and most expensive Superfund toxic waste site in the United States. The Clark Fork River Superfund Complex consists of three major sites along a 120-mile (190 km) stretch of the Clark Fork River. It includes the Berkeley Pit, a former copper mine one mile (1.6 km) across that now holds heavily acidic (pH = 2.5) water 900 feet (270 m) in depth.[3]

Areas of relatively intact grassland and wetland on the Rocky Mountain Front include the

Blackfeet Indian Reservation, and a number of other hills and valleys of southwestern Montana including the Centennial Mountains, the Big Hole River and parts of the Madison River valleys. Protected areas include Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge in Centennial Valley, Pine Butte Swamp, the CSKT Bison Range in western Montana and a number of Bureau of Land Management wilderness study areas
.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d Hoekstra, J. M.; Molnar, J. L.; Jennings, M.; Revenga, C.; Spalding, M. D.; Boucher, T. M.; Robertson, J. C.; Heibel, T. J.; Ellison, K. (2010). Molnar, J. L. (ed.). The Atlas of Global Conservation: Changes, Challenges, and Opportunities to Make a Difference.
    ISBN 978-0-520-26256-0
    .
  2. ^ "Montana Valley and Foothill grasslands". Terrestrial Ecoregions. World Wildlife Fund.
  3. ^ "Largest Superfund site cleanup to begin in Montana". InvestigateWest. Retrieved January 31, 2018.
  4. ^ "The Nature Conservancy in Montana - Preserve - Pine Butte Swamp". Archived from the original on April 18, 2010. Retrieved September 24, 2010.

External links

45°31′N 112°21′W / 45.517°N 112.350°W / 45.517; -112.350

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