Chain O'Lakes State Park, Illinois, USA Photograph by Jason Lindsey   Central North America: Central United States Temperate Grasslands, Savannas, and Shrublands   157,100 square miles (407,000 square kilometers) -- about the size of California Critical/Endangered

· Did Someone Say Mollisol?
· Special Features
· Did You Know?
· Wild Side
· Cause for Concern
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Did Someone Say Mollisol?

Soil is a very important factor in shaping a habitat. This ecoregion has soils, called mollisols, that are in great demand. These rich, dark, fertile soils are the world's most important for agriculture, a fact that has led to the conversion of virtually all of this ecoregion from grassland and woodland to farmland.

Special Features

This ecoregion separates the eastern deciduous forests from the tall and mixed grass prairies. As an ecotone, a transitional area, it contains both trees and grasses, having more trees than the tallgrass prairies. Trees grow better in the wetter areas of the habitat.

	Prairie chickens go through an unusual and elaborate mating ritual. Males gather together in what is called a lek and perform dances to attract mates.

Wild Side

This ecoregion ranks among the top 10 ecoregions in North America in terms of numbers of reptiles, birds, butterflies, and trees. Reptiles include the eastern tree lizard and the Osage copperhead. The grasslands of Missouri are home to the greater prairie chicken. And other birds include redheaded woodpeckers and blue jays. Oaks such as blackjack oak and post oak and hickories are the most common tree species. Bison and wolves used to be common here, but due to hunting and habitat loss, are now gone.

Cause for Concern

Because of its rich soil, this is one of the most converted of all ecoregions; less than 1 percent of the remaining habitat is intact. It is almost completely farmed for corn and soybeans.

For more information on this ecoregion, go to the World Wildlife Fund Scientific Report.