physical geography
The Great Plains and Prairie Region of North America reaches all the way through Northwest Territories of Canada to the Arctic Ocean, and goes all the way down into the Texas panhandle in the United States. It covers all of the area between the Mackenzie River in northern Canada, and the Rio Grande River in the southern United States. This region flows through, or envelops, 10 states within the United States; Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Nebraska, Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas. In Canada, it goes through the Northwest Territories, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, The Canadian Shield makes up part of the eastern boundary, and the Rocky Mountains make up the entire western boundary.
The entire region covers approximately 1,119,697 sq mi. This is the equivalent of 1/3 of the United States. The width of region extends between 186 - 378 miles. The length of the region is approximately 2,983 miles. The region contains large plateaus throughout, and these plateaus reach an average height between 1,000 - 1,500 meters. The plateaus descend to a mere 300 meters along the eastern rim, but then rise up to 1,800 meters on the western rim.
The Great Plains and Prairies region has fertile soil with semi-arid grasslands, and very bio-diverse. In Canada, it hold the best farmland. Here they grow wheat, barley, and a variety of other crops. Most of the land is flat, but north of Canada in the Northwest Territories the land is much more hilly and forested. However, the biodiversity is being destroyed by increased agricultural-based irrigation.
There are a few major rivers that flow through the great prairies in the US; the Missouri River, Red River, the Rio Grande River, and the Arkansas River. The Missouri River has 3 tributaries: Platte, Kansas, and Arkansas. The Missouri River and it's tributaries make up the main drainage system for the great plains in the US. The Red River flows north up into Canada. The main river in the Canadian prairies is the Saskatchewan River, and this is the Canadian prairies main drainage system.
This map more shows the geographic diversity of the great plains within the United States.
This is a map showing that the 100th meridian that runs almost directly through the Great Plains Region.
In the west you have the arid terrain. This are receives less moisture due to the Rocky Mountains. The western half of the Great Plains lies on the leeward side of the Rocky Mountains. Due to the rain shadow effect it receives very little rain, and therefore has lighter and shallower soils with. There is much less organic matter that develops to nourish the soil. The grass here is short and thin.
The east side of the 100th meridian is quite the opposite. This side of the meridian is more humid and receives plenty of rainfall. Here the soil is deep and black filled with nutrients from the abundance of rich organic matter that it receives. Here the grass grows thick and tall.
Tall and medium grasses grow in the east
Short and bunch grass steppes are found in the west.
Here you will also find flowering plants such as forbs, large plans such as the yucca, prickly pear cactus, shrubs, and small trees like the mesquite and sagebrush.
Forests are found in the riparian areas, and they have xerophytic trees such as box elder and cottonwood. Coniferous evergreens are found in the mountain islands like the Black Hills.
There's a transition zone that trends northwest-southeast known as "Parklands" between Winnipeg, Manitoba and Edmonton, Alberta. Here the grasslands slowly give way to forest. At 54 degrees N latitude, you will find coniferous forests dominating the vegetation.
Animals that still thrive in the great plains include pronghorn, prairie dogs, coyotes, prairie chickens, and rattlesnakes.
In the coniferous forests in the north you will find moose, woodland caribou, timber wolves, and Canada lynx.
Insects in the great plains include locust and tiny chiggers.