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List of ecoregions in Louisiana

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Map
Level III USEPA ecoregions in Louisiana

The list of ecoregions in Louisiana are listings of terrestrial ecoregions (see also, ecosystem) in the United States' State of Louisiana, as defined separately by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), and the World Wildlife Fund. Louisiana's ecology is in a land area of 51,840 square miles (134,264 km2); the state is 379 miles (610 km) long and 130 miles (231 km) wide and is located between latitude: 28° 56′ N to 33° 01′ N, and longitude: 88° 49′ W to 94° 03′ W, with a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa).

USEPA

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Map of Louisiana depicting six Level III ecoregions and 28 Level IV ecoregions
USEPA's Level III and Level IV ecoregions of Louisiana

The USEPA's ecoregions are identified through the analysis of the spatial patterns and the composition of biotic and abiotic characteristics that affect or reflect differences in ecosystem quality and integrity. These characteristics 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 ecoregion hierarchical level.[1]

Louisiana contains barrier islands and coastal lowlands, large river floodplains, rolling and hilly coastal plains with evergreen and deciduous forests, and a variety of aquatic habitats. There are 6 level III ecoregions and 28 level IV ecoregions, and most of these continue into ecologically similar parts of adjacent states.[1]

  • 65f Southern Pine Plains and Hills
  • 65p Southeastern Floodplains and Low Terraces
  • 74a Bluff Hills
  • 74c Southern Rolling Plains
  • 74d Baton Rouge Terrace
  • 75a Gulf Coast Flatwoods
  • 75i Floodplains and Low Terraces
  • 75k Gulf Barrier Islands and Coastal Marshes

World Wildlife Fund

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WWF ecoregions are defined as "relatively large units of land or water containing a distinct assemblage of natural communities sharing a large majority of species, dynamics, and environmental conditions.... Ecoregions represent the original distribution of distinct assemblages of species and communities."[2]

Realm Biome Ecoregion
Nearctic Temperate broadleaf and mixed forests Mississippi lowland forests
Nearctic Temperate broadleaf and mixed forests Southeastern mixed forests
Nearctic Temperate coniferous forests Piney Woods forests
Nearctic Temperate coniferous forests Southeastern conifer forests
Nearctic Tropical and subtropical grasslands, savannas, and shrublands Western Gulf coastal grasslands

References

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  1. ^ a b Daigle, Jerry J.; Griffith, Glenn E.; Omernik, James M.; Faulkner, Patricia L.; McCulloh, Richard P.; Handley, Lawrence R.; Smith, Latimore M.; Chapman, Shannen S. (2006). "Ecoregions of Louisiana" (PDF). United States Geological Survey. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2023-09-30. Retrieved 2024-03-08.
  2. ^ "Terrestrial Ecoregions of the World". World Wildlife Fund. 2012-08-01.

Further reading

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Landforms of the Louisiana Coastal Plain