Our Texas
Focus
Which feature on the list can be found and
observed in Texas?
a. Deserts
b. Canyons
c. Mountains
d. Beaches
e. Meadows of wildflowers
f. Swamps
g. Pine forests
Yes, we have them all in Texas!
•
•
•
•
•
a. Deserts — Chihuahuan Desert
b. Canyons— Palo Duro Canyon
c. Mountains— Guadalupe Mountains
d. Beaches— Galveston Beach
e. Meadows of wildflowers— Hill Country/Central
Texas
• f. Swamps—Daisetta Swamp, Liberty County
• g. Pine forests— Big Thicket National Preserve
Palo Duro Canyon
Galveston Beach
Guadalupe Mountains
Chihuahuan Desert
Hill Country
Daisetta Swamp
Big Thicket National Preserve
Ecosystems
• Ecosystems include plants,
animals, sunlight, soil, and other
living things.
• Biotic factors: are the living things
that make up an ecosystem.
• Ex: kestrel, mouse, grass
• Abiotic factors: are the nonliving
things.
• Ex: temperature, water, oxygen
How do ecoregions get established?
• Ecoregions denote areas of general similarity in
ecosystems and in the type, quality, and quantity of
environmental resources.
• Due to its size and geographic location, Texas is unique
among states. A large area of land will usually have a
great deal of variation in climate and landscapes, factors
influencing habitat diversity. The state has impressive
topographic diversity, including 91 mountain peaks that
are a mile or more high. Our geographic location is also
important in that eastern habitats meet western ones and
southern subtropical habitats meet northern temperate
ones.
• The natural regions of Texas look different from one
another, both in terms of the living aspects (plant and
animal communities) and the non-living attributes
(topography, geology, soils).
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/pwdpubs/media/pwd_bk_w7000_0030.pdf
• Due to its size and geographic location, Texas is unique
among states. A large area of land will usually have a
great deal of variation in climate and landscapes, factors
influencing habitat diversity. The state has impressive
topographic diversity, including 91 mountain peaks that
are a mile or more high. Our geographic location is also
important in that eastern habitats meet western ones and
southern subtropical habitats meet northern temperate
ones.
• The natural regions of Texas look different from one
another, both in terms of the living aspects (plant and
animal communities) and the non-living attributes
(topography, geology, soils).
How was the map compiled
(made)?
• The approach used to compile this map is based on the
premise that ecological regions are hierarchical and can
be identified through the analysis of the spatial patterns
and the composition of biotic and abiotic phenomena
that affect or reflect differences in ecosystem quality and
integrity (Wiken 1986; Omernik 1987, 1995). These
phenomena include geology, physiography, vegetation,
climate, soils, land use, wildlife, and hydrology. The
relative importance of each characteristic varies from
one ecological region to another regardless of the
hierarchical level. A Roman numeral hierarchical scheme
has been adopted for different levels of ecological
regions.
http://www.epa.gov/wed/pages/ecoregions/tx_eco.htm#Please%20note:
Assessment
Create a Venn diagram that compares the two ecoregions using
the given materials.
What are some differences between the ecoregions in Texas?
(Answers may vary but include varying amounts of
precipitation, different temperature extremes, vegetation, soils,
land features, etc.)
What are some similarities between the ecoregions in Texas?
(Answers may vary but could include that each ecoregion contains
many types of environments to sustain living organisms.)
Texas’ diversity
• Ecological and biological diversity of Texas is
enormous. The state contains barrier islands
and coastal lowlands, large river floodplain
forests, rolling plains and plateaus, forested hills,
deserts, and a variety of aquatic habitats.
• There are 11 level III ecoregions and 56 level IV
ecoregions in Texas and most continue into
ecologically similar parts of adjacent states in
the U.S. or Mexico.
References
• Griffith, G.E., Bryce, S.A., Omernik, J.M.,
Comstock, J.A., Rogers, A.C., Harrison, B.,
Hatch, S.L., and Bezanson, D., 2004,
Ecoregions of Texas (color poster with map,
descriptive text, and photographs): Reston,
Virginia, U.S. Geological Survey (map scale
1:2,500,000).
• teacherweb.com/TX/DeerparkMiddleSchool/.../E
coRegions-of-Texas.ppt
• http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/pwdpub
s/media/pwd_bk_w7000_0030.pdf