- Ecology of Minnesota
The Ecology of Minnesota covers many plant and animal species. The mid continental location of Minnesota influences its plant and animal life. Three of
North America 'sbiome s converge in Minnesota: prairie grasslands in the southwestern and western parts of the state, theBig Woods deciduous forest of the southeast, and the northern boreal forest.cite web | title = Biomes of Minnesota | publisher = Minnesota Department of Natural Resources | url = http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/biomes/index.html | accessdate = 2006-11-13 ]Flora
Three of
North America 'sbiome s converge in Minnesota: prairie grasslands in the southwestern and western parts of the state, theBig Woods deciduous forest of the southeast, and the northern boreal forest. The northern coniferous forests are a vast wilderness ofpine andspruce trees mixed with patchy stands ofbirch andpoplar . Much of Minnesota's northern forest has been logged, leaving only a few patches ofold growth forest today in areas such as in theChippewa National Forest and theSuperior National Forest where theBoundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness has some 400,000 acres (1,600 km²) of unlogged land.cite book | title = The Boundary Waters Wilderness Ecosystem | last = Heinselman | first = Miron | publisher = University of Minnesota Press | location = Minneapolis, Minnesota | date = 1996 |id = ISBN 0-8166-2805-X ] Although logging continues, regrowth keeps about one third of the state forested. [cite book | last = Bewer | first = Tim | title = Moon Handbooks Minnesota | publisher = Avalon Travel Publishing | year = 2004 | edition = First edition | id = ISBN 1-56691-482-5]Fauna
While loss of habitat has affected native animals such as the pine marten,
elk , and bison, [Bison disappeared in the mid 1800s; the last bison was reported in southwest Minnesota in 1879. cite book|title=Big Game in Minnesota, Technical Bulletin, no. 9|last=Moyle|first=J. B.|publisher=Minnesota Department of Conservation, Division of Game and Fish, Section of Research and Planning|year=1965|pages=p. 172 As referenced in cite book|title=Southwestern Minnesota Archaelogy|last=Anfinson|first=Scott F.|publisher=Minnesota Historical Society |location=St. Paul, Minnesota|year=1997|isbn=0-87351-355-X|pages=p. 20]whitetail deer andbobcat thrive. The state has the nation's largest population of timber wolves outside Alaska, [cite web |url= http://www.natureserve.org/explorer/servlet/NatureServe?searchName=Canis+lupus |title= Comprehensive Report Species - Canis lupus |accessdate=2007-05-07 |format= |work= ] and supports healthy populations of black bear andmoose . Located on theMississippi Flyway , Minnesota hosts migratory waterfowl such asgeese andducks , and game birds such asgrouse ,pheasants , andturkeys . It is home to birds of prey including thebald eagle , red-tailed hawk, andsnowy owl . The lakes teem with the sport fish such aswalleye , bass,muskellunge , and northern pike, and streams in the southeast are populated by brook, brown, andrainbow trout .References
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