Texas Ecoregions

FocusWhich feature on the list can be found and

observed in Texas? a. Deserts b. Canyons c. Mountains d. Beaches e. Meadows of wildflowers f. Swamps g. Pine forests

Yes, we have them all in Texas!

• a. Deserts — Chihuahuan Desert • b. Canyons— Palo Duro Canyon • c. Mountains— Guadalupe Mountains • d. Beaches— Galveston Beach • e. Meadows of wildflowers— Hill Country/Central

Texas • f. Swamps—Daisetta Swamp, Liberty County • g. Pine forests— Big Thicket National Preserve

Palo Duro Canyon

Galveston Beach

Guadalupe Mountains

Chihuahuan Desert

Hill Country

Daisetta Swamp

Big Thicket National Preserve

Ecosystems • EcosystemsEcosystems include plants, include plants,

animals, sunlight, soil, and other animals, sunlight, soil, and other living things.living things.

• Biotic factorsBiotic factors: are the living things : are the living things that make up an ecosystem.that make up an ecosystem.

• Ex: kestrel, mouse, grassEx: kestrel, mouse, grass• Abiotic factorsAbiotic factors: are the nonliving : are the nonliving

things.things.• Ex: temperature, water, oxygenEx: temperature, water, oxygen

How do ecoregions get established?• Ecoregions denote areas of general similarity in

ecosystems and in the type, quality, and quantity of environmental resources.

• Due to its size and geographic location, Texas is unique among states. A large area of land will usually have a great deal of variation in climate and landscapes, factors influencing habitat diversity. The state has impressive topographic diversity, including 91 mountain peaks that are a mile or more high. Our geographic location is also important in that eastern habitats meet western ones and southern subtropical habitats meet northern temperate ones.

• The natural regions of Texas look different from one another, both in terms of the living aspects (plant and animal communities) and the non-living attributes (topography, geology, soils).

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/pwdpubs/media/pwd_bk_w7000_0030.pdf

How was the map compiled (made)?

• The approach used to compile this map is based on the premise that ecological regions are hierarchical and can be identified through the analysis of the spatial patterns and the composition of biotic and abiotic phenomena that affect or reflect differences in ecosystem quality and integrity (Wiken 1986; Omernik 1987, 1995). These phenomena include geology, physiography, vegetation, climate, soils, land use, wildlife, and hydrology. The relative importance of each characteristic varies from one ecological region to another regardless of the hierarchical level. A Roman numeral hierarchical scheme has been adopted for different levels of ecological regions.

http://www.epa.gov/wed/pages/ecoregions/tx_eco.htm#Please%20note:

AssessmentCreate a Venn diagram that compares the two ecoregions using

the given materials.

What are some differences between the ecoregions in Texas? (Answers may vary but include varying amounts of precipitation, different temperature extremes, vegetation, soils, land features, etc.)

What are some similarities between the ecoregions in Texas? (Answers may vary but could include that each ecoregion contains

many types of environments to sustain living organisms.)

Texas’ diversity

• Ecological and biological diversity of Texas is enormous. The state contains barrier islands and coastal lowlands, large river floodplain forests, rolling plains and plateaus, forested hills, deserts, and a variety of aquatic habitats.

• There are 11 level III ecoregions and 56 level IV ecoregions in Texas and most continue into ecologically similar parts of adjacent states in the U.S. or Mexico.

References• Griffith, G.E., Bryce, S.A., Omernik, J.M.,

Comstock, J.A., Rogers, A.C., Harrison, B., Hatch, S.L., and Bezanson, D., 2004, Ecoregions of Texas (color poster with map, descriptive text, and photographs): Reston, Virginia, U.S. Geological Survey (map scale 1:2,500,000).

• teacherweb.com/TX/DeerparkMiddleSchool/.../EcoRegions-of-Texas.ppt

• http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/pwdpubs/media/pwd_bk_w7000_0030.pdf