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Professional Paper 1650-E

Atlas of Relations Between Climatic Parameters and Distributions of Important Trees and Shrubs in North America— Ecoregions of North America

Ecoregions included in this volume. Level I ecoregions (the broadest categories) are listed in all capital letters, Level II (the middle level of detail) in mixed case letters, and Level III (the most detailed categories) in mixed case and italic letters.

Küchler Potential Natural Vegetation
(Click on an ecoregion name to view the graphical display for that ecoregion.)
Level I Level II Level III
WESTERN FORESTS Needleleaf Forests Spruce-cedar-hemlock forest (Picea-Thuja-Tsuga)


Cedar-hemlock-Douglas fir forest (Thuja-Tsuga-Pseudotsuga)


Silver fir-Douglas fir forest (Abies-Pseudotsuga)


Fir-hemlock forest (Abies-Tsuga)


Mixed conifer forest (Abies-Pinus-Pseudotsuga)


Redwood forest (Sequoia-Pseudotsuga)


Red fir forest (Abies)


Lodgepole pine-subalpine forest (Pinus-Tsuga)


Pine-cypress forest (Pinus-Cupressus)


Ponderosa shrub forest (Pinus)


Western ponderosa forest (Pinus)


Douglas fir forest (Pseudotsuga)


Cedar-hemlock-pine forest (Thuja-Tsuga-Pinus)


Grand fir-Douglas fir forest (Abies-Pseudotsuga)


Western spruce-fir forest (Picea-Abies)


Eastern ponderosa forest (Pinus)


Black Hills pine forest (Pinus)


Pine-Douglas fir forest (Pinus-Pseudotsuga)


Arizona pine forest (Pinus)


Spruce-fir-Douglas fir forest (Picea-Abies-Pseudotsuga)


Southwestern spruce-fir forest (Picea-Abies)


Great Basin pine forest (Pinus)


Juniper-pinyon woodland (Juniperus-Pinus)


Juniper steppe woodland (Juniperus-Artemisia-Agropyron)

Broadleaf Forests Alder-ash forest (Alnus-Fraxinus)


Oregon oakwoods (Quercus)

Broadleaf and Needleleaf Forests Mosaic of cedar-hemlock-Douglas fir forest and Oregon oakwoods


California mixed evergreen forest (Quercus-Arbutus-Pseudotsuga)


California oakwoods (Quercus)


Oak-juniper woodland (Quercus-Juniperus)


Transition between oak-juniper woodland and mountain mahogany-oak scrub
WESTERN SHRUB AND GRASSLAND Shrub Chaparral (Adenostoma-Arctostaphylos-Ceanothus)


Montane chaparral (Arctostaphylos-Castanopsis-Ceanothus)


Coastal sagebrush (Salvia-Eriogonum)


Mosaic of California oakwoods and coastal sagebrush


Mountain mahogany-oak scrub (Cercocarpus-Quercus)


Great Basin sagebrush (Artemisia)


Blackbrush (Coleogyne)


Saltbush-greasewood (Atriplex-Sarcobatus)


Creosote bush (Larrea)


Creosote bush-bur sage (Larrea-Franseria)


Palo verde-cactus shrub (Cercidium-Opuntia)


Creosote bush-tarbush (Larrea-Flourensia)


Ceniza shrub (Leucophyllum-Larrea-Prosopis)


Desert: vegetation largely absent

Grasslands Fescue-oatgrass (Festuca-Danthonia)


California steppe (Stipa)


Tule marshes (Scirpus-Typha)


Fescue-wheatgrass (Festuca-Agropyron)


Wheatgrass-bluegrass (Agropyron-Poa)


Alpine meadows and barren (Agrostis, Carex, Festuca, Poa)


Fescue-mountain muhly prairie (Festuca-Muhlenbergia)


Grama-galleta steppe (Bouteloua-Hilaria)


Grama-tobosa prairie (Bouteloua-Hilaria)

Shrub and Grasslands Combinations Sagebrush steppe (Artemisia-Agropyron)


Wheatgrass-needlegrass shrubsteppe (Agropyron-Stipa-Artemisia)


Galleta-three awn shrubsteppe (Hilaria-Aristida)


Grama-tobosa shrubsteppe (Bouteloua-Hilaria-Larrea)


Trans-Pecos shrub savanna (Flourensia-Larrea)


Mesquite savanna (Prosopis-Hilaria)


Mesquite-acacia savanna (Prosopis-Acacia-Andropogon-Setaria)


Mesquite-live oak savanna (Prosopis-Quercus-Andropogon)
CENTRAL AND EASTERN GRASSLANDS Grasslands Foothills prairie (Agropyron-Festuca-Stipa)


Grama-needlegrass-wheatgrass (Bouteloua-Stipa-Agropyron)


Grama-buffalo grass (Bouteloua-Buchloe)


Wheatgrass-needlegrass (Agropyron-Stipa)


Wheatgrass-bluestem-needlegrass (Agropyron-Andropogon-Stipa)


Wheatgrass-grama-buffalo grass (Agropyron-Bouteloua-Buchloe)


Bluestem-grama prairie (Andropogon-Bouteloua)


Sandsage-bluestem prairie (Artemisia-Andropogon)


Shinnery (Quercus-Andropogon)


Northern cordgrass prairie (Distichlis-Spartina)


Bluestem prairie (Andropogon-Panicum-Sorghastrum)


Nebraska Sandhills prairie (Andropogon-Calamovilfa)


Blackland prairie (Andropogon-Stipa)


Bluestem-sacahuista prairie (Andropogon-Spartina)


Southern cordgrass prairie (Spartina)


Palmetto prairie (Serenoa-Aristida)

Grassland and Forest Combinations Marl-Everglades (Mariscus and Persea-Taxodium)


Oak savanna (Quercus-Andropogon)


Mosaic of Bluestem prairie and Oak-hickory forest


Cedar glades (Juniperus-Quercus-Sporobolus)


Cross timbers (Quercus-Andropogon)


Mesquite-buffalo grass (Prosopis-Buchloe)


Juniper-oak savanna (Juniperus-Quercus-Andropogon)


Mesquite-oak savanna (Prosopis-Quercus-Andropogon)


Fayette prairie (Andropogon-Buchloe)


Blackbelt (Liquidambar-Quercus-Juniperus)


Live oak-sea oats (Quercus-Uniola)


Cypress savanna (Taxodium-Mariscus)


Everglades (Mariscus and Magnolia-Persea)
EASTERN FORESTS Needleleaf Forests Great Lakes spruce-fir forest (Picea-Abies)


Conifer bog (Larix-Picea-Thuja)


Great Lakes pine forest (Pinus)


Northeastern spruce-fir forest (Picea-Abies)

Broadleaf Forests Northern floodplain forest (Populus-Salix-Ulmus)


Maple-basswood forest (Acer-Tilia)


Oak-hickory forest (Quercus-Carya)


Elm-ash forest (Ulmus-Fraxinus)


Beech-maple forest (Fagus-Acer)


Mixed mesophytic forest (Acer-Aesculus-Fagus-Liriodendron-Quercus-Tilia)


Appalachian oak forest (Quercus)


Mangrove (Avicennia-Rhizophora)

Broadleaf and Needleleaf Forests Northern hardwoods (Acer-Betula-Fagus-Tsuga)


Northern hardwoods-fir forest (Acer-Betula-Abies-Tsuga)


Northern hardwoods-spruce forest (Acer-Betula-Fagus-Picea-Tsuga)


Transition between Appalachian oak forest and northern hardwoods


Northeastern oak-pine forest (Quercus-Pinus)


Oak-hickory-pine forest (Quercus-Carya-Pinus)


Southern mixed forest (Fagus-Liquidambar-Magnolia-Pinus-Quercus)


Southern floodplain forest (Quercus-Nyssa-Taxodium)


Pocosin (Pinus-Ilex)


Sand pine scrub (Pinus-Quercus)


Subtropical pine forest (Pinus-Tetrazygia)

Bailey Ecoregions
(Click on an ecoregion name to view the graphical display for that ecoregion.)
Domain Division Province
POLAR DOMAIN Icecap Division Glacial ice

Tundra Division Ice and stoney deserts


Arctic tundras


Tundras

Tundra Mountains Polar desert


Tundra - polar desert


Tundra - meadow


Oceanic meadow - heath

Subarctic Division Forest-tundras and open woodlands


Tayga (boreal forests)

Subarctic Mountains Open woodland - tundra


Tayga - tundra, medium


Tayga - tundra, high
HUMID TEMPERATE DOMAIN Warm Continental Division Mixed deciduous-coniferous forests

Warm Continental Mountains Mixed forest - coniferous forest - tundra, medium


Mixed forest - coniferous forest - tundra, high

Hot Continental Division Broadleaved forests, oceanic


Broadleaved forests, continental

Hot Continental Mountains Deciduous or mixed forest - coniferous forest - meadow


Broadleaf forest - meadow

Subtropical Division Broadleaved-coniferous evergreen forests


Coniferous-broadleaved semi-evergreen forests


Riverine forest

Subtropical Mountains Mixed forest - meadow

Marine Division Mixed forests

Marine Mountains Deciduous or mixed forest - coniferous forest - meadow


Forest - meadow, medium


Forest - meadow, high

Prairie Division Forest-steppes and prairies


Prairies and savannas

Mediterranean Division Dry steppe


Mediterranean hardleaved evergreen forests, open woodlands and shrub


Redwood forests

Mediterranean Mountains Mixed forest - coniferous forest - alpine meadow


Mediterranean woodland or shrub - mixed or coniferous forest - steppe or meadow


Shrub or woodland - steppe - meadow
DRY DOMAIN Tropical/Subtropical Steppe Division Coniferous open woodland and semideserts


Steppes


Steppes and shrubs


Shortgrass steppes

Tropical/Subtropical Steppe Mountains Steppe or semidesert - mixed forest - alpine meadow or steppe

Tropical/Subtropical Desert Division Semideserts


Oceanic semideserts


Deserts on sand

Tropical/Subtropical Desert Mountains Semidesert - shrub - open woodland - steppe or alpine meadow


Desert or semidesert - open woodland or shrub - desert or steppe

Temperate Steppe Division Steppes


Dry steppes

Temperate Steppe Mountains Forest-steppe - coniferous forest - meadow - tundra


Steppe - coniferous forest - tundra


Steppe - coniferous forest


Steppe - open woodland - coniferous forest - alpine meadow

Temperate Desert Division Semideserts


Semideserts and deserts

Temperate Desert Mountains Semidesert - open woodland - coniferous forest - alpine meadow
HUMID TROPICAL DOMAIN Savanna Division Open woodlands, shrubs, and savannas


Semi-evergreen forests


Deciduous forests

Savanna Mountains Open woodland - deciduous forest - coniferous forest - steppe or meadow


Forest - steppe

Rainforest Division Semi-evergreen and evergreen forests


Evergreen forests

Rainforest Mountains Evergreen forest - meadow or paramos

World Wildlife Fund Ecoregions
(Click on an ecoregion name to view the graphical display for that ecoregion.)
Level I Major Habitat Type Ecoregion
TROPICAL BROADLEAF FORESTS Moist Forest Central American Atlantic Moist Forest


Central American Montane Forest


Chiapas Montane Forest


Chimalapas Montane Forest


Costa Rican Seasonal Moist Forest


Eastern Panamanian Montane Forest


Isthmian-Atlantic Moist Forest


Isthmian-Pacific Moist Forest


Oaxacan Montane Forest


Pantanos de Centla


Peten-Veracruz Moist Forest


Sierra de los Tuxtlas


Sierra Madre de Chiapas Moist Forest


South Florida Rocklands


Talamancan Montane Forest


Veracruz Moist Forest


Veracruz Montane Forest


Yucatan Moist Forest

Dry Forest Sonoran/Sinaloan Transition Dry Forests


Bajio Dry Forest


Balsas Dry Forest


Central American Dry Forest


Chiapas Depression Dry Forest


Jalisco Dry Forest


Panamanian Dry Forest


Sierra de la Laguna Dry Forest


Sinaloan Dry Forest


Southern Pacific Dry Forest


Veracruz Dry Forest


Yucatan Dry Forest
TEMPERATE CONIFER, BROADLEAF AND MIXED FORESTS Broadleaf and Mixed Forests Sierra Madre Occidental Pine-Oak Forests


Sierra Madre Oriental Oak-Pine Forests


Sierra Juarez & San Pedro Martir Pine-Oak Forest


Belizian Pine Forest


Central American Pine-Oak Forest


Miskito Pine Forest


Sierra de la Laguna Pine-Oak Forest


Sierra Madre de Oaxaca Pine-Oak Forest


Sierra Madre del Sur Pine-Oak Forest


Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt Pine-Oak Forest


Willamette Valley Forest


Western Great Lakes Forest


Eastern Forest/Boreal Transition


Upper Midwest Forest/Savanna Transition Zone


Southern Great Lakes Forest


Eastern Great Lakes Lowland Forest


New England/Acadian Forest


Gulf of St. Lawrence Lowland Forest


Northeastern Coastal Forest


Allegheny Highlands Forest


Appalachian/Blue Ridge Forest


Appalachian Mixed Mesophytic Forest


Central U.S. Hardwood Forest


Ozark Mountain Forest


Mississippi Lowland Forest


East Central Texas Forest


Southeastern Mixed Forest

Coniferous Forests Northern Pacific Coastal Forest


Queen Charlotte Islands


Central British Columbia Mountain Forest


Alberta Mountain Forest


Fraser Plateau and Basin Complex


Alberta/British Columbia Foothills Forest


Northern Transitional Alpine Forest


North Central Rockies Forest


Okanogan Dry Forest


Cascade Mountains Leeward Forest


British Columbia Mainland Coastal Forest


Central Pacific Coastal Forest


Puget Lowland Forest


Central and Southern Cascades Forest


Eastern Cascades Forest


Blue Mountains Forest


Klamath-Siskiyou Forest


Northern California Coastal Forest


Sierra Nevada Forest


Great Basin Montane Forest


South Central Rockies Forest


Wasatch and Uinta Montane Forest


Colorado Rockies Forest


Arizona Mountains Forest


Piney Woods Forest


Atlantic Coastal Pine Barrens


Middle Atlantic Coastal Forest


Southeastern Conifer Forest


Florida Sand Pine Scrub
GRASSLANDS, SAVANNAS, SHRUBLANDS Grasslands/Savanna/Shrub Palouse Grassland


California Central Valley Grassland


Canadian Aspen Forest and Parkland


Northern Mixed Grassland


Montana Valley and Foothill Grassland


Northwestern Mixed Grassland


Northern Tall Grassland


Central Tall Grassland


Flint Hills Tall Grassland


Nebraska Sand Hills Mixed Grassland


Western Short Grassland


Central and Southern Mixed Grassland


Central Forest/Grassland Transition Zone


Edwards Plateau Savanna


Texas Blackland Prairies


Western Gulf Coastal Grassland

Flooded Grasslands Everglades

Montane Grasslands Zacatonal
MEDITERRANEAN AND XERIC FORMATIONS Mediterranean Scrub and Savanna California Coastal Sage and Chaparral


California Interior Chaparral and Woodland


California Montane Chaparral and Woodland

Xeric Shrublands/Scrublands/Deserts San Lucan Xeric Scrub


Baja California Desert


Gulf of California Xeric Scrub


Sonoran Desert


Chihuahuan Desert


Meseta Central Matorral


Tamaulipan Matorral


Tamaulipan Mezquital


Central Mexican Matorral


Tehuacan Valley Matorral


Snake/Columbia Shrub Steppe


Great Basin Shrub Steppe


Wyoming Basin Shrub Steppe


Colorado Plateau Shrubland


Mojave Desert


Motagua Valley Thornscrub
MANGROVES Mangroves Mangroves
BOREAL FOREST, TAIGA AND TUNDRA Boreal Forest/Taiga Interior Alaska/Yukon Lowland Taiga


Alaska Peninsula Montane Taiga


Cook Inlet Taiga


Copper Plateau Taiga


Northwest Territories Taiga


Yukon Interior Dry Forest


Northern Cordillera Forest


Muskwa/Slave Lake Forest


Northern Canadian Shield Taiga


Mid-Continental Canadian Forest


Midwestern Canadian Shield Forest


Central Canadian Shield Forest


Southern Hudson Bay Taiga


Eastern Canadian Shield Taiga


Eastern Canadian Forest


Newfoundland Highland Forest


South Avalon-Burin Oceanic Barrens

Tundra Beringia Lowland Tundra


Beringia Upland Tundra


Alaska/St. Elias Range Tundra


Pacific Coastal Mountain Tundra and Ice Fields


Interior Yukon/Alaska Alpine Tundra


Ogilvie/MacKenzie Alpine Tundra


Brooks/British Range Tundra


Arctic Foothills Tundra


Arctic Coastal Tundra


Low Arctic Tundra


Middle Arctic Tundra


High Arctic Tundra


Davis Highlands Tundra


Baffin Coastal Tundra


Torngat Mountain Tundra

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