Central forest–grasslands transition

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Central forest–grasslands transition

The central forest–grasslands transition is a prairie-ecoregion in the central United States. It sits where eastern forests meet the North American Great Plains. The World Wildlife Fund defines it as a distinct region. It covers about 407,000 square kilometers (157,000 square miles), stretching from northern Illinois through most of Missouri, eastern Kansas, Oklahoma, and into Texas.

Historically it was a mix of woodlands and tallgrass prairie on very fertile soils (mollisols). Today, much of the area has been turned into farmland. It receives about 600–1,040 millimeters of rain per year and is prone to drought and fire.

This ecoregion and the Upper Midwest forest–savanna transition form a boundary: the Central U.S. hardwood forests lie to the east, while the treeless Central and Southern mixed grasslands and Central tallgrass prairies lie to the west. The region is rich in reptiles, birds, and insects. Notable birds include the greater prairie-chicken, and a notable reptile is the Osage copperhead.

Almost all of the land has been converted to agriculture, especially corn and soybeans. What remains intact is small. Some protected and important spots include Emiquon National Wildlife Refuge in Illinois, Goose Lake Prairie State Natural Area, Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie, and the Kankakee Outwash Plain in Illinois. In Indiana, there’s the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore; in Kansas and Oklahoma, the Cross Timbers; and in Missouri, the Osage Plains and other areas.

There are also protected spots such as Prairie State Park in Missouri and several small tallgrass prairie reservations in Cook County, Illinois, including Gensburg-Markham Prairie. Overall, habitat loss is high and protection is limited.