Texas Blackland Prairie

The Texas Blackland Prairies
The Texas Blackland prairies are of an approximate span of about 50,501 km^2. The blackland parries expands from about 55 miles southeast of city of San Antonio to the borders of Oklahoma which would be north to northwest Dallas. It consists of two belts one which is the main land known as the Fayette Prairie and the smaller one is the San Antonio Prairie.the main belt of the Texas Blackland Prairie is divided into four areas aligned in a north-south direction. These are the Eagle Ford Prairie,the White Rock Cuesta, the Taylor Black Prairie and the Eastern Marginal Prairie. this ecoregion consist of a special mixture of soil along with mineral deposits. It is said to be the "Black velvet" when it is freshly plowed because the soil is so rich and soft. Scientist have believe that the reason the soil is in such conditions is because of the native plants that were a part of this ecoregion before they disappear. Such dominant native plants included big bluestem( Andropogon geradii geradii), Switch Grass ( Panicum Virgatum), little bluestem( schizachyrium scoparium), and Indian Grass ( Sorghastrum Nutans).

Map of Texas Blackland Prairies 

http://landcovertrends.usgs.gov/gp/eco32Report.html

Historically this region was known as tall grass prairie in the early 19^th century. It contained forest that were locates along uplands and streams. A small portion was forested wetlands in riparian bottom lands  However it was converted to farmland/cropland around the 1800’s. It was also converted again in about 1973 -2000 to a maintained pasture land. Agriculture became a big part of the Black land prairies.However,prior to the European settlement the land was disturbed by fire along with gazing by bison as well as antelopes.The impact of humans was one that was also introduce around the same time which became a strong impact on the ecosystem.

The Blackland Prairies before 

http://www.tarleton.edu/Departments/range/Woodlands%20and%20Forest/

Longleaf%20Pine/Photo%20Slides/0220wet%20prairie.jpg

.The blackland Prairies now

http://www.cas.vanderbilt.edu/bioimages/ecoregions/w50814-77028.jpg

The Impact humans have on this ecosystem is particularly bad because by about the second half of the 19^th century when the crops were establish the loss of 80% of the original vegetation had been lost. This was due to cultivation and urbanization which continues to decrease. Today there is approximately only 1% of the original vegetation that remains. This one percent is scattered throughout the blackland prairies. It has now become the largest endangered grassland in North America. However it has now become a huge pact of humans lives because it provides us with foods that we consume daily. It can benefit us as well as hurt us in the sense that will we are cultivating we are putting at risk the ecosystem.

It has been predicted that the future of this ecosystem can possibly worsen  due to the fact that it is utilized for agriculture on a daily basis. It has become the most endangered grassland as mentioned above. The cultivation and advances in urbanization will continue to disrupt the grasslands if nothing is done. This will lead to the lost of all the possible original vegetation that still exist. The invasion of exotic plant species continues to be a problem which results in future threats as well as fragmentation. However there are some areas that have been protected by organizations such as:
Urbanization

The fact that urbanization has become a great factor in why this Eco region has become endangered, tell us that it will only continue to disappear. If urbanization and the creation of houses of even farms are constructed on this land means that the prairies are being abolished slowly. We might not believe this to be a problem right now, however the future of this region is limited if you continue to destroy it.Urbanization causes erosion as well as soil runoff which only destroy the little that is left of the Texas Blackland Prairie.
Cultivation
Cultivation is a very beneficial to humans in this region, however it is terrible for the ecoregion. Humans do not seem to notice that well they are obtain benefits from the land, they are harming the region by destroying the native and introducing new plants/ crops that do not help preserve the ecoregion. Cultivation has also led for animals to disappear such as bison and certain birds that once called this there home.This has lead to cause of the Texas Blackland Priaires being one of the most endangered forest in North America. We need to preserve the region because just like it has given us crops and public goods, we should also put some effort to have more protected land. If we do not protect them then we the future of this region is in jeopardy. 

However there are some areas that have been protected by organizations such as:

Protected Lands (land under conservation easement, public land, or ownership by conservation organization)(all areas found within eastern Texas)

•Clymer Meadow, Hunt County - 106 ha

•Tridens Prairie, Lamar County - 41 ha

•Leonhardt Prairie, Falls County - 16 ha

•County Line Prairie, Hunt County - 8 ha

•Mathews Prairie, Hunt County - 41 ha

•Parkhill Prairie, Collin County - 21 ha

•Kachina Prairie, Ellis County - 16 ha

•Rosehill Prairie, Dallas County - 30 ha

•Flagpole Hill Prairie, Dallas County - ha

•Cedar Hill State Park, Dallas County - 8 ha

http://www.eoearth.org/article/Texas_blackland_prairies?topic=49597

There are various solutions that can be done and are already being done to help protect the Blackland Prairies . In the Texas Blackland Prairies there is people that are already protecting lands voluntarily. However one of the problems is that most of the Texas Blackland Prairies are privately own which makes it quite difficult to be able to protect them and restore them. The ideas that have been suggested by the reintroduction of fire this was an essential method for the Prairie before the cultivation and urbanization began.The grazing of bison is also something that has be suggested because this can be a way to re-establish the landscape scale. The reintroduction of native plants is also an idea to conserve the ecosystem which can be expanded throughout the prairie. The lowering of cultivation and perhaps urbanization can be an important  solution that can change the conservation status completely.The thought of knowing that such a well known ecosystem is one of the most endangered grasslands in North America, should definitely cause concern among people.

Voluntarily Protected Lands 

•Hunt, 5 tracts totalling 159 ha
•Lamar, 2 tracts totalling 970 ha
•Franklin,1 tract totalling 41 ha
•Van Zandt, 2 tracts totalling 117 ha
•Kaufman, 1 tract totalling 81 ha
•Rockwall, 1 tract totalling 16 ha
•Denton Co, 1 tract totalling 4 ha

Land Ownership

Non Profit(federal)           12%

Voluntarily(local)           60%

Private              28%

http://worldwildlife.org/ecoregions/na0814

Land use 

http://landcovertrends.usgs.gov/gp/gpResults_files/image015.gif

Birds in the Blackland Prairies

http://img.docstoccdn.com/thumb/orig/35206237.png

Plants 

http://img.docstoccdn.com/thumb/orig/25450401.png

Reference List

1. Auch F. Roger. Texas Blackland Prairie Ecoregion Summery.web.

<http://landcovertrends.usgs.gov/gp/eco32Report.html>

2. Diggs M. George. Post Oak Savannah and Blackland Prairie Wildlife Management.WEB.

<http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/landwater/land/habitats/post_oak/>

3. Eidson J and Smeins F.E. Texas Blackland Prairie. WEB.

<http://worldwildlife.org/ecoregions/na0814>

4.McGinely Mark. Ecoregion:Texas Blackland Prairie.Web.

<http://www.eoearth.org/article/Texas_blackland_prairies?topic=49597>

5. Texas Parks and Wildlife. Blackland Prairie Ecological Region. Web.

<http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/landwater/land/habitats/cross_timbers/ecoregions/blackland.phtml>