Native+Species+&+Interaction

=**6th Period**= Blackland Prairie Ecological Region A portion of the Blackland Prairie Ecological Region of Texas extends into the eastern portions of Denton, Hill and McLennan Counties of Northcentral Texas. The region is underlain by Upper Cretaceous marine chalks, marls, limestones, and shales which gave rise to the development of the characteristic black, calcareous, alkaline, heavy clay soils. Early settlers were drawn to this region by these productive soils, gentle topography, and luxuriant native grasslands. Although historically a region of tall-grass prairies, today much of the land is devoted to cropland and other agricultural enterprises. Cotton, corn, milo, and wheat are grown throughout the region. Livestock grazing is also an important land use. Few remnant native prairie sites remain. Urban expansion into this ecological region is also increasing as the space for wildlife and wildlife habitat decreases. Watersheds and riparian zones of the Brazos and Trinity River and their tributaries bisect the region and in these areas, habitat for a variety of wildlife species occurs. Upland wildlife species including small game animals, songbirds, waterfowl and shore birds, and a limited population of white-tailed deer use available habitat. Woody vegetation including mesquite, hackberry, elm, osage orange, and other woody species grow along fence lines and field borders providing habitat for wildlife. Other habitat for wildlife may occurs on steep or sloping terrains not subject to cultivation where communities containing species such as eastern red cedar, Ashe juniper, cedar elm, Texas persimmon, elbowbush, deciduous holly, live oak, and other woody species occur.

Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium), and Indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans) are frequently dominants on Blackland Prairie alfisols and vertisols. Big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) is of variable importance on vertisols and is frequently a dominant on Blackland Prairie mollisols. Gamagrass-switchgrass (Tripsacum dactyloides-Panicum virgatum) prairies are associated with bottomland sites throughout the region, and are also found on upland sites of the northern main belt vertisols where they are especially associated with gilgai microtopography. Silveanus dropseed- mead’s sedge (Sporobolus silveanus-Carex meadii) prairies are found over low pH soils of the northern main belt. Little bluestem-brownseed paspalum (S. scoparium-Paspalum plicatulum) prairie is associated with Fayette Prairie alfisols. Each community differs further in secondary florae. For example, eastern forb species such as Liatris pycnostachya andCoreopsis grandiflora are largely limited to the alfisols of the Eastern Marginal prairies, while grasses such as Bouteloua hirsuta and Muhlenbergia reverchonii,as well as a diversity of species in the genus Dalea are generally found on the mollisols of the White Rock Cuesta.

ALL OF THE ANIMALS IN THE BLACKLAND PRARIE AND OTHER INFO IS HERE > [|__http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/wild/species/__]

[|__http://www.co.bell.tx.us/bellnet/bellnetweb/web/PrairiePlants.htm__] __GRASSES LIST__ Eastern gamagrass Tripsacum dactyloides Switchgrass Panicum virgatum Indiangrass Sorgastrum nutans Little bluestem Andropogon gerardii Big bluestem Bouteloua curtipendula Sideoats grama Eragrostis trichodes Two-flower trichloris Trichloris crinita Arizona cottontop Digitaria californica Green spangletop Leptochloa dubia Hairy grama Bouteloua hirsuta Texas cupgrass Eriochloa sericea Texas wintergrass Stipa leucotricha Texas bluegrass Poa arachnifera Prairie cordgrass Spartina pectinata Tall dropseed Sporobolus asper Buffalo grass Buchloe dactyloides Florida paspalum Paspalum floridanum Vine mesquite Panicum obtusum False switchgrass Panicum plenum Common reed Phragmites communis Schizachriom scoparium __WILDFLOWER (FORBS AND LEGUMES) LIST__ Pitcher's sage Salvia pltcheri Prairie celestial Nemastylis geminiflora Wild hyacinth Camassil scilloides Catclaw sensitivebriar Schrankia uncinata Western indigo Indigofera miniata Winecup Callirhoe leiocarpa Penstemon Penstemon cobaea Blue flax Linum rigidum Fleabane Erigeron species Heath aster Aster ericoides Plains larkspur Delphinium virescens Tenpetal anemone Anemone decapetala Bush sunflower Simsia calva Texas blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium pruinosum Bluecurls Phacelia stricti~lora Bluebonnet Lupinus texensis Engelmann daisy Engelmannia pinnatifida Bluet Houstonia species Spiderwort Tradescantia occidentalis Texas skeletonplant Lygodesmia texana Halfshrub sundrop Oenathera serrulata Prairie gentian or bluebells Eustoma grandiflorum Partridge pea Cassia fasciculata Puccoon Lithospermum incisum Jerseytea Ceanothus americanus Wild petunia Ruellia species Mealy blue sage Salvia farniacea Standing cypress Ipomopsis rubra False guara Stenosiphon linifolium Gaura Gaura species Basketflower Centaurea americana White Flowered compass plant Silphium albiflorum Yellow-flowered compass plant Silphium laciniatum Rosin weed Silphium asperrimum Coneflower Rudbeckia amplexicaulis Jerusalem artichoke Helianthus tuberosus Wild buckwheat Erigonum species Gayfeather Liatris mucronata Prairie bundleflower Desmanthus leptolobis Illinois bundleflower Desmanthus illinoisnsis Prairie alfalfa Psorealia tenuilflora Gondenmane coreopsis Coreopsis basilis Texas star Lindheirmera texana Seep Marshallia Marshallia caespitosa Prairie parsley Polytaenia nuttalii Groundplum milkvetch Astragalus crassicarpus Astragalus annual species Stickleaf mentzelia Mentzelia oligosperma Tickclover Desmodium species Lionsheart Physostegia species Indian plantain Cacalia tuberosa Skullcap Scutellaria drummondii Mirabilis Mirabilis linearis Scurfpea Psoralea cuspidata Trailing ratany Krameria lanceolata Fluttermill Oenothera missouriensis Purple prairie clover Petalostemum purpureum White-flowered prairie clover Petalostemum multiflorium Prairie acacia Acacia angustissima Purple dalea Dalea lasiathera Golden dalea Dalea aurea Yellow Neptunia Neptunia lutea Least snoutbean vine Rhynchosia minima Trailing wildbean Strophostyles helvola Yuccaleaf eryngo Eryngium yuccifolium Black sampson Echinacea angustifolia Black sampson Echinacea pallida Maxmillian sunflower Helianthus maximilliani Mist flower Eupatorium coelestinum Snakeroot Eupatorium species Poppy mallow Callirhoe species Dayflower Commenlina erecta Wild onion Allium drummondi Rain lily Zephyranthes brazosensis Copper lily Zephyranthes longifolia Prairie coneflower Ratibida columnaris Indian paintbrush Castilleja indivisa Indian blanket Gaillardia pulchella Prairie Gerardia Gerardia heterophylla Waterprimrose Jussiaea species Goldaster Heterotheca canescens Cudweed Gnaphalium species Curlycup gumweed Grindelia squarrosa

[|__http://www.worldwildlife.org/wildworld/profiles/terrestrial/na/na0814_full.html__]

=**7th Period**=
 * P****LANTS:**

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characteristics: very diverse -Food grown throughout the region: Cotton, corn, milo, and wheat -Plants grown on steep areas: eastern red cedar, Ashe juniper, cedar elm, Texas persimmon, elbowbush, deciduous holly, live oak -Woody vegetation including mesquite, hackberry, elm, osage orange, and other woody species grow along fence lines and field borders providing habitat for wildlife -high biodiversity: linked to varieties in soil types tallgrass prairie plants. Grasses of the region: big and little bluestem, Indian grass, gamagrass, and switchgrass. Common plants: as silveanus dropseed, mead's sedge, and brownseed paspalum []

Tall fescue grass: helps turf and soil conservation, imported from Europe in the 1940s, deep root system, does not need much water, can grow on steep slopes can be dangerous to cattle: affecting their weight and milk production spreads quickly (sort of like weeds) Tall fescue grass can be grow in areas lacking in nutrients and accidic minerals. They can grow in areas affected by drought and overgrazing. Producer []

Missouri Primrose -Large yellow four petaled flowers -Dry soil and full sun. -Blooms from May-September. []

Mexican Hat Wildflower -Red and yellow bordered flowers looks like little Mexican hats. -Full sun to partial shade -needs well drained soil. -Blooms from April-September

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 * Great website for wildflowers of the blackland praire and conditions:**

There is a high level of animal diversity due to the variety of soils present in Blackland Prairies. Some of the native species consist of small game animals, songbirds, waterfowls, shore birds, pocket gophers, reptiles, and a limited population of white-tailed deer. The Blackland Prairie is habitat for more than 500 native faunal taxa including 327 species of bird and 7 reptiles. About 15 bird species are considered imperiled (ranging from state "watch listed" to federally endangered). Most officially listed mammals have been extirpated from the Blackland Prairies.
 * ANIMALS:**

Animals like the plains bison, the red and gray wolf, black and grizzly bears, passenger pigeon, ivory-billed woodpecker, and pronghorn antelope are either extinct, federally threatened /endangered, or have been extirpated from North Central Texas. These are all animals that require large expanses of habitat.
 * Endagered Species**

Waterfowls, which are basically different types of ducks, mostly just need the basic necessities for life (food water, shelter, space). Moist soil management helps to grow desirable native food plants such as corn or millets.
 * Animals we can include in the Nature Park**

Pocket Gophers cannot survive in dense, heavy clay or continuously saturated soils. They require light-textured or loose conglomerate soil types that will allow gases to pass and water to drain. They prefer feeding on vegetables.


 * Websites used for animal research:**
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