Prairie Great Plains of North America mainland to the development of their European takes about 4 thousand kilometers long and 800 kilometers wide.Inland location and security of the west of the Rocky Mountains rainfall led to their climatic characteristics and limited vegetation.So what is the prairie?Of course, this steppe.The name they got from the French settlers.Meaning of the word "prairie" - meadows.Geographically, they are located in the east of the Great Plains, the Midwest of Canada and the United States.In the north of the prairie bordering pine forests, in the west - with the mountains in the east - with the forest-steppe, and in the south are moving in the savannah and semi-desert.The amount of precipitation in the territory of the North American steppes decreases in the direction from east to west.The most arid zones are located in the center.Therefore, in the prairie vegetation is heterogeneous, it is located in three broad bands: tall, mixed and nizkotrave.
relief of the North American prairies
What is a prairie of the Great Plains in terms of relief?The area extends along the Cordillera.It is a fairly flat surface with a small hilly areas.In fact, this plateau low plateau, an extension of the Western plains from east to west.The average height of this zone are within 1.5 kilometers above sea level.River to the east and avoid belong to the basin of the two rivers: the Missouri and Mississippi.Once this area is the bottom of an ancient ocean sediments from which she composed.Prairie can be divided into four physiographic regions: three plateaus - Edwards, Missouri, Llano Estacado - and the central part of the Great Plains.
Climate
Basic is only the climate in North America - is the air currents carrying moisture from the Pacific Ocean.But the prairie water is almost misses - it remains among the Rocky and Cascade Mountains and Sierra Nevada.Dry winds rushing over the steppes, without hindrance, except for wet flows from the Gulf of Mexico.In the summer these meetings end with rain and storms, in winter - heavy snowfalls.In general, characterized by constant strong prairie winds.The temperature here Continental - contrast.In the summer - an average of 20-25 degrees Celsius, in the winter - to -25.There are cold and -50 degrees.In the east, the climate is more humid - a year may fall to 600 mm of rain.The western part of the drier, are the norm does not exceed 300 mm.Approximately every five years on the prairies case of fire.But the fire is racing, it is usually very fast, not very damaging land.
flora of prairie
What prairie in terms of flora?Natural vegetation - forest-steppe and steppe.The first grass-expressed grassland and aspen and birch groves.This area is located along the Canadian border.Further south on the black earth soils formed directly prairie.Here there is low bushes (acacia and mesquite) and rarefied as undersized grass cover.In more southern areas appear yucca, cacti and agaves.Inside the prairies meet the forest formation.In the north - birch.In the south - oak, mesquite, acacia and juniper.Currently, prairie flora undergoes changes as fertile soil for the most part developed by farmers and regularly irrigated.
Fauna prairie
Animals prairie interesting, but, as well as vegetation, no different variety.The most common protein relatives - prairie dogs.They got their name because of the barking sound that pass each other danger signals.Prairie dogs live in large colonies.They live in burrows quite complex structure.The dwellings can be located at a depth of 5 meters.These creatures are food for local predators: Blackfoot ferrets Mexican falcon, coyote, badger, rabbit rattlesnakes and owls.Earlier in the prairie inhabited numerous herds of buffalo.At one time they were on the verge of extinction because of ruthless hunting for them.Today, these large animals are protected by law.Until now sufficiently numerous coyotes.Among the birds can be noted prairie grouse, geese and Canadian geese.
contributed to expansion of prairie fires and bison
Who knows, perhaps today, no one would be no question that such a prairie fire if not all the same buffalo.Scientists believe that in these places for a long time we could grow forests, according to the soil and climatic conditions of the area.Wildfires that burn everything to the ground, and herds of animals to overeat and completely trampling young shoots, did the trick.Scientists make their own conclusions, based on a similar one in Africa, where elephants also contribute to the spread of steppe vegetation.And so formed the vastness ... See photo prairie - how beautiful she is!
