Texas blackland prairies

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Texas blackland prairies (WWF ecoregion NA0814)

near Schulenburg, Texas

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): 2 (regionally outstanding)
The diversity of soil types in the ecoregion produces a greater community diversity than that of tallgrass prairies further north.*

Conservation Status (1=most endangered, 5=most intact): 2 (endangered)
Less than 1% of the original vegetation remains. Cultivation and urbanization are major threats. Some habitat remains in areas used for hay production.*

Characteristic species* Schizachyrium scoparium (little bluestem)


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

Tripsacum dactyloides (gamma grass)
Panicum virgatum (switchgrass)
Sporobolus silveanus (Silveanus dropseed)
Carex meadii (Mead's sedge)
Paspalum plicatulum (brownseed paspalum)

Some views from the ecoregion

Roadside pasture, eastern Texas

(left) near Borden, Texas, (2nd from left) near Weimar, Texas, (center and 2nd from right) near Schulenburg, Texas (right) near Engle, Texas hires hires hires hires hires

Cultivated cropland, near Seguin, Texas

hires hires

* 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.