NORTH AMERICAN PRAIRIEJordan Martz, Kaitlin Venneman, Kurtis

Bertauche

THE BIOME

This biome is grassy, dry, and has some precipitation

The weather is temperate

It is important because of it’s unique habitat

Plus, it doesn’t need maintenance

It is found in North America

1

MAJOR ECOREGIONS

2

FOOD WEB

3

Sunflower

Indian Grass

Purple

Loosestrife

Grasshopper

Prairie

Chicken

Prairie Vole

Gray Fox

Swainson’s Hawk

Coyote

THE ECOREGION

1. Flat grasslands

2. Good for agricultural reasons

3. There are dry and mesic prairies

4. Pampas are similar

5. American Bison are common

6. Found in North America

4

DESCRIPTION

♪ Flora: Purple Loosestrife: takes water from other plants

♪ Fauna: Some large herbivores overgraze the native grasses

♪ Human: Farming and urban development

5

CAUSE

♪ Pollution from industrial factories

♪ Climate change contributes to drought

♪ Hunters are decreasing the bison population

♪ Bison and cattle are overgrazing the grass

♪ North American Indians sometimes burn the grass

6

SOLUTIONS

♪ Technological advances help create better crops and fibers

♪ Little, but frequent burning to get rid of the dead grasses

♪ Plant more trees

♪ Spread the word

♪ Keep the wetlands safe, as they help the ecosystem

7

OTHER ISSUES

♪ Lack of biodiversity- with small crops, disease can spread easily

♪ Global Warming- can easily change the ecoregion into deserts

♪ Urban development- leaving less land for animals to thrive and live

8

BLACK-FOOTED

FERRETMUSTELA NIGRIPES

Short legs

Large front paws and

claws

Tan body

Black legs

Black tip on tail

A black mask on their face

Wood BisonBison bison athabascae

Dense coat of warm and

durable hair that is dark

brown

Curved horns pointing up

Hair on its chin like a beard

Large head and shoulders

A big hump on its back

WOOD BISON MAINLY EAT

GRASSES, SEDGES, AND

FORBS. SILVERBERRY AND

WILLOW LEAVES MAKE UP

PART OF THEIR SUMMER

DIETS.

Prairie dogs make up

more then 90% of a

ferret’s diet. They also eat

ground squirrels, small

rodents, rabbits, and birds.

EXOTIC DISEASES AND

WIDESPREAD HABITAT

DESTRUCTION ARE BOTH

REASONS WHY THE BLACK-

FOOTED FERRET IS

ENDANGERED. DURING

1986 ONLY 18 REMAINED

Cattle diseases

including

Bovine tuberculosis

Brucellosis

Anthrax

As well as habitat loss

and wolf predation are

why the Wood Bison is

endangered.

TODAY, THERE ARE

APPROXIMATELY 500

FERRETS IN THE WILD

AND 300 IN CAPTIVITY.

There are currently

4,700 wood bison in

six healthy herds,

although there are a

similar amount of

diseased herds.

TO SAVE THE FERRETS,

THEY ARE BEING BRED IN

CAPTIVE BREEDING

FACILITIES

A special rule allows the state to manage wood bison on a sustainable

basis.

The ADF&G is the lead agency managing bison to

prevent critical habitat and mandates a

management plan

Local land owners support is strong

INVASIVE SPECIES

Purple Loosestrife

Lythrum salicaria L. (Lythraceae)

Purple in Color

Tall Plant

Has Flowers

Arranged in a “Cylindrical” Shape

Has Variations of Purple

14

FOOD WEB

When invasive in North America there is NO predator

There a certain insects in Europe

15

Galerucella calmariensis

PROBLEM

When grown closely, blocks water

Eliminates natural foods

Eliminates cover

16

TRANSPORT

Originated in Europe

Brought by purpose on boat

Used as medicines

17

SOLUTION

There is no SUPER effective method to remove it

For small areas, uprooting by hand

Certain insects have been released

18

JORDAN’S SOURCES

Prairie. (2011, May 10). Retrieved September 16, 2015, from http://education.nationalgeographic.com/encyclopedia/prairie/

Purple loosestrife. (n.d.). Retrieved September 16, 2015, from http://www.invasiveplants.net/plants/purpleloosestrife.htm

Climate:. (n.d.). Retrieved September 16, 2015, from http://www.marietta.edu/~biol/biomes/grass.htm

What Are the Impacts of Humans on Grassland Biomes? | The Classroom | Synonym. (n.d.). Retrieved September 16, 2015, from http://classroom.synonym.com/impacts-humans-grassland-biomes-2594.html

United States. National Park Service. (2015, September 16). Environmental Factors at the Preserve. Retrieved September 16, 2015, from http://www.nps.gov/tapr/learn/nature/environmental-factors.htm

Grasslands Threats, Wetlands Threats - National Geographic. (n.d.). Retrieved September 16, 2015, from http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/habitats/grassland-threats/

KDE Santa Barbara. (n.d.). Retrieved September 16, 2015, from http://kids.nceas.ucsb.edu/biomes/grassland.html

Prairies of Ohio. (n.d.). Retrieved September 16, 2015, from http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/features/panels/WayneNFPrairiesOhio.pdf

KAITLIN’S SOURCES

Tag Archives: Wildlife. (n.d.). Retrieved September 16, 2015.

Prairie Dogs, Prairie Dog Pictures, Prairie Dog Facts - National Geographic. (n.d.). Retrieved September 16, 2015.

Off the Beaten Path: Wood bison are back; it's a big deal. (n.d.). Retrieved September 16, 2015.

Alaska Region - Endangered Species. (n.d.). Retrieved September 16, 2015.

Rewilding Bison from Romania to Alaska. (n.d.). Retrieved September 16, 2015.

Schweber, N. (2014, August 25). Moving Back Home Together. Retrieved September 16, 2015.

Sometimes when one animal has trouble, the entire ecosystem has trouble. (n.d.). Retrieved September 16, 2015.

ADFG says Nushagak chinook are shrinking. (n.d.). Retrieved September 16, 2015.

Tierpark Nordhorn - Erik's Pages. (n.d.). Retrieved September 16, 2015.

http://mythatchedhut.com/tag/bison/

Prairie Wildlife Research: What We Do. (n.d.). Retrieved September 16, 2015.

Baby Wood Bison by Mark Newman. (n.d.). Retrieved September 16, 2015.

The Black Footed Ferret Scientific name: Mustela nigripes.. by Janae. (n.d.). Retrieved September 16, 2015.

Wood Bison Species Profile, Alaska Department of Fish and Game. (n.d.). Retrieved September 16, 2015.

Basic Facts About Black-Footed Ferrets. (2012, March 18). Retrieved September 16, 2015.

Black-Footed Ferrets, Black-Footed Ferret Pictures, Black-Footed Ferret Facts - National Geographic. (n.d.). Retrieved September 17, 2015.

KURTIS SOURCES

Works Cited

"Galerucella Calmariensis." Galerucella Calmariensis. N.p., n.d.

Web. 14 Sept. 2015.

"Purple Loosestrife." Purple Loosestrife. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Sept. 2015.

7, Lesson. "Invasives in the Food Web." Invasives in the Food

Web (n.d.): n. pag. Web. 14 Sept. 2015.