Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center
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Ecoregions of
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| 42h. Southern River Breaks | Level IV Ecoregion |
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42b. Collapsed Glacial Outwash |
The Northwestern Glaciated
Plains ecoregion marks the westernmost extent of continental glaciation.
The youthful morainal landscape has significant surface irregularity
and high concentrations of wetlands. The rise in elevation along the
eastern boundary defines the beginning of the Great Plains. Land use
is transitional between the intensive dryland farming on Ecoregion 46i
to the east and the predominance of cattle ranching and farming to the
west on the Northwestern Great Plains (43).
The Southern River Breaks reflect the more temperate conditions of the southern glaciated plains. Here the draws and northern aspects are heavily wooded with deciduous forest, in contrast to the River Breaks (43c) north of the Big Bend of the Missouri where the riparian woodland forms narrow stringers of juniper and green ash.
Physiography Area (square miles): 896 Geology Surficial Material and Bedrock Soil Order (Great Groups) Climate Precipitation - Mean annual (inches) Potential Natural Vegetation Decidous woodland: cottonwood, green ash, peachleaf willow, boxelder, eastern rededar, buffaloberry, sumac. Grassland: western wheatgrass, little bluestem, sideoats grama. Land Use and Land Cover Grazing, wildlife habitat. Mixed grass and woodland cover. |
U.S. Department of the Interior |
U.S. Geological Survey
URL: http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/habitat/ndsdeco/42h.htm
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Page Last Modified: Saturday, 02-Feb-2013 04:49:58 EST
Sioux Falls, SD [sdww54]
