10 Interesting Prairie Facts

Saturday, November 29th 2014. | Earth


Prairie Facts tell you about the interesting ecosystem in the world. One of the most endangered ecosystems in North American is the native tall grass prairie. Today, it covers 142 million acres of land. In the past, it covered 40 percent of prairie in United States. Find out other interesting facts about prairie below:

Prairie Facts 1: the prairie in North America

Today, you can find at least 1 percent of North American prairie. The limited tree growth is located here. The ecosystem is filled with sedges, flowering plants and grasses.

Prairie Facts 2: plant species

If you like to study about plants, you can go to prairie since it is filled with different kinds of plant spices. In less than 5 acres, you can find more than 100 plant species.

Prairie Facts

Prairie Facts

Prairie Facts 3: weeds

The weeds in the prairie are very little because the natural competition of prairie plants in the area. You can find at least 24,000 pounds of roots in one acre of prairie.

Prairie Facts 4: fertile soil

The soil in prairie is very fertile. When the prairie roots die, they will be decomposed and create fertile soil. When the rainfall comes, the prairie can absorb 9 inches of rainfall.

Prairie Images

Prairie Images

Prairie Facts 5: tallgrass prairie in Iowa

Prairies were formed 8000 years ago. Once, there were 30 million acres of tall grass prairies that you can find in Iowa. Today, 99.9 percent of the historic natural landscape in Iowa is vanished. Check out Iowa facts here.

Prairie Facts 6: grasses of tall grass prairie

There are several types of grasses of tall grass prairies. You can find the little bluestem, big bluestem, switch grass and Indian grass. The tall grass can reach the height of 16 to 10 feet. But some plants can reach the height of 12 feet.

Prairie Plants

Prairie Plants

Prairie Facts 7: bison life

The number of bison living in the prairie was abundant. When the European explorers came for the first time to North America, they could spot at least 60 million bison on the prairies and plains of North America. In 1885, it was decreased with only 600 bison.

Prairie Facts 8: Prairie dogs

Another animal that you can find in prairie is the prairie dogs. This animal is not a dog, but it is a rodent. Before the first European settlement, there were 5 billion prairie dogs in the area. Get facts about prairie dogs here.

Prairie

Prairie

Prairie Facts 9: bison

Let’s talk more about bison. Every single day, a bison can eat 30 till 50 pounds of food. The bison cow can reach the weight up to 1000 pounds, while the bull can reach the weight at 2000 pounds.

Prairie Facts 10: Prairie chickens

Prairie chickens can be found in the prairie too. Today, there are only 400,000 prairie chickens survived.

Prairie Dog

Prairie Dog

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