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Northern tall grasslands  (WWF ecoregion NA0812)  


Agricultural grasslands west of Tower City, North Dakota (c) 2012 Steven J. Baskauf

Source of bioregions data: Olson, D. M. and E. Dinerstein. The Global 200: Priority ecoregions for global conservation. (PDF file) Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 89:125-126.

Distinctiveness (1=highest,4=lowest): 4 (nationally important)
This is a transitional area which has relatively less diversity than other tall grasslands further to the south.*

Conservation Status (1=most endangered, 5=most intact): 2 (endangered)
Approximately 5% of the ecoregion is intact.  Most of the area has been converted to agriculture except for sandy ridges along rivers.*

Characteristic species*

(left of image) Sorghastrum nutans (Indian grass), (right of image) Andropogon gerardii (big bluestem) (c) 2004 Maurice J. Kaufmann  hires

 

Panicum virgatum (switchgrass)

* Ricketts, T.H., E. Dinerstein, D.M. Olson, C.J. Loucks, et al.  (1999) Terrestrial Ecoregions of North America: A Conservation Assessment.  World Wildlife Fund - United States and Canada.  Island Press, Washington, D.C. pp. 258-260.

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