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Level IV Ecoregions of Montana

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DRAFT 2 Ecoregions denote areas of general similarity in ecosystems and in the type, quality, and quantity of environmental resources; they are designed to serve as a spatial framework for the research, assessment, management, and monitoring of ecosystems and ecosystem components. By recognizing the spatial differences in the capacities and potentials of ecosystems, ecoregions stratify the environment by its Ecoregions of Montana probable response to disturbance (Bryce and others, 1999). These general purpose regions are critical for Second Edition structuring and implementing ecosystem management strategies across federal agencies, state agencies, and nongovernment organizations that are responsible for different types of resources within the same 116° 115° 114° 113° 112° 111° 110° 109° 108° 107° 106° 105° 104° geographical areas (Omernik and others, 2000). ° 49° The approach used to compile this map is based on the premise that ecological regions can be identified 49 BRITISH COLUMBIA 42d through the analysis of the spatial patterns and the composition of biotic and abiotic phenomena that affect ALBERTA SASKATCHEWAN 42k or reflect differences in ecosystem quality and integrity (Wiken, 1986; Omernik, 1987, 1995). These 15d CANADA 15h 41b 42q 42n sa 17r ATE S phenomena include geology, physiography, vegetation, climate, soils, land use, wildlife, and hydrology. u F 41a 42l UNITED ST n l Plentywood a a 42n 42r 42m Scobey c th 42r o e The relative importance of each characteristic varies from one ecological region to another regardless of o a 42r K d R e i 42r 17r the hierarchical level. A Roman numeral hierarchical scheme has been adopted for different levels of k v a 41c e r Fresno 15h L 42i 42b 42d ecological regions. Level I is the coarsest level, dividing North America into 15 ecological regions. Level K Reservoir o o Cut Bank N II divides the continent into 52 regions (Commission for Environmental Cooperation Working Group, t e 41b ORTH DAKO n 41b a S 1997). At level III, the continental United States contains 104 ecoregions and the conterminous United i River a Medicine ge Libby 15t Shelby C Chinook Lake States has 84 ecoregions (United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), 2000). Level IV is a 15q re Havre Milk Riv 42q ek er 42i Maria further subdivision of level III ecoregions. Explanations of the methods used to define the USEPA’s 15l s R k iv e TA er e Lake r Malta ecoregions are given in Omernik (1995), Omernik and others (2000), and Griffith and others (1989, 1994). 41a C 15c Elwell y 15h d n 42j Kalispell a The second edition of "Ecoregions of Montana" revises many ecoregion polygon assignments that S 42r g Glasgow Riv i uri er appeared in the first edition (Woods and others, 1999). These changes were made after research in Idaho B so Conrad Wolf Point is 43c 17r M ° (McGrath and others, 2002) recognized the Idaho Batholith as a separate level III ecoregion (Ecoregion 48° 15h 48 41d 43n 16), limited the Northern Rockies (15) to strongly marine-influenced areas, and transferred the Montana e k 42r 42r a 15l iver 43n Valley and Foothill Prairies (formerly Ecoregion 16) to another level III ecoregion, the Middle Rockies L R 15o ri d 41b 42o ou 43c a ss (17). The second edition also modifies a few level IV ecoregion lines along Montana's western border so e i 41e Teton River M 42r h e t 17r k a a that ecoregions shared by Montana and Idaho will edge match. In addition, it updates ecoregion names so l L Sidney F k Choteau ec that they are consistent with the most recent ecoregion work in area (Chapman and others, 2003). 15k 15e 41b P 41c rt Fort Benton Fo However, it is important to note that although many polygon assignments and a few ecoregion names have 15h C Polson changed between the first and second editions, nearly all level IV ecoregion line positions are identical on lark 15o Thompson F Mi or 43l ssour Falls k 15c 41d i River the two editions. 42q r 43c e v 15b i R The level III and IV ecoregion map on this poster was compiled at a scale of 1:250,000 and depicts e 43l n Great Falls 42r to revisions and subdivisions of earlier level III ecoregions that were originally compiled at a smaller scale 17r s 15e ri River w u lo o l (USEPA, 2000; Omernik, 1987). This poster is part of a collaborative project primarily between USEPA Flath s e ead Rive 41b s r 41b i Jordan 43a Y 41b M M Region VIII, USEPA National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory (Corvallis, Superior 42q 43o 43n u s s 15p 15a e Oregon), Montana Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ), United States Department of l 15a s 43n Glendive IDAHO h 15c e Agriculture-Forest Service, United States Department of Agriculture-Natural Resources Conservation l 15h 43s l ° R 47° 47 i 43c Service (formerly Soil Conservation Service), United States Department of the Interior-Bureau of Land 17r v 17r e 17x r 17p Management, and United States Department of the Interior-U.S. Geological Survey-Earth Resources Lewistown Observation Systems (EROS) Data Center. Missoula 17aj 43s 43n 43a The project is associated with an interagency effort to develop a common framework of ecological 43u 17t 43u regions. Reaching that objective requires recognition of the differences in the conceptual approaches and 17al 17q 17q mapping methodologies applied to develop the most common ecoregion-type frameworks, including those 16b 17x 17h 17w 43c developed by the U.S. Forest Service (Bailey and others, 1994), the USEPA (Omernik, 1987, 1995), and 17al Helena White the Natural Resources Conservation Service (U.S. Department of Agriculture–Soil Conservation Service, C Sulphur 17ak la 43e rk 17v 43b 1981). As each of these frameworks is further refined, their differences are becoming less discernible. r F Springs 43m e 17s 17x o v i r k Canyon Miles 43c Regional collaborative projects such as this one in Montana, where agreement has been reached among R t 17aj Ferry City 16e o 17q Harlowton Baker o 17h multiple resource management agencies, are a step toward attaining consensus and consistency in r Lake 43p r Roundup e t ecoregion frameworks for the entire nation. t 17ak Deer i ne River B wsto Lodge Yello Townsend 43p Hamilton 17am M iver 43t usselshell R Forsyth 17f Literature Cited: Anaconda Boulder 17y 43p 43p 17ai ° 46° 46 Bailey, R.G., Avers, P.E., King, T., and McNab, W.H., eds., 1994, Ecoregions and subregions of the United States (map) 43p 16h 17h 43c (supplementary table of map unit descriptions compiled and edited by McNab, W.H. and Bailey, R.G.): Washington, D.C., 17g 17h USFS, scale 1:7,500,000. Butte 43o 43n 43d 17ag Bryce, S.A., Omernik, J.M., and Larsen, D.P., 1999, Ecoregions – a geographic framework to guide risk characterization and 17h 43p r 17ag 17y e Colstrip v ecosystem management: Environmental Practice, v. 1, no. 3, p. 141-155. Big i R 17y r Timber e Chapman, S.S., Bryce, S.A., Omernik, J.M., Despain, D.G., ZumBerge, J., and Conrad, M., 2003, Ecoregions of Wyoming 16a 16h 43s d 43d w o (color poster with map, descriptive text, summary tables, and photographs): Reston, Virginia, U.S. Geological Survey (map 17w 17l 43p P 17y 17i Billings Hardin 43d scale 1:1,400,000). 17ah 43n 43p Livingston 43p Commission for Environmental Cooperation Working Group, 1997, Ecological regions of North America – toward a common Columbus 17ac 17ab Bozeman 43p perspective: Montreal, Commission for Environmental Cooperation, 71 p. 17ab 17g 17h 17g 17i 43v Broadus Gallant, A.L., Whittier, T.R., Larsen, D.P., Omernik, J.M., and Hughes, R.M., 1989, Regionalization as a tool for managing 17ag 17ab environmental resources: Corvallis, Oregon, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA/600/3-89/060, 152 p. 17z SOUTH D 17y 17g 43s 43e 17h 17z 43n Griffith, G.E., Omernik, J.M., Wilton, T.F., and Pierson, S.M., 1994, Ecoregions and subregions of Iowa – a framework for S er 17l almon Riv water quality assessment and management: Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science, v. 101, no. 1, p. 5-13. 17u 17l 17aa 17e AK McGrath C.L., Woods A.J., Omernik, J.M., Bryce, S.A., Edmondson, M., Nesser, J.A., Shelden, J., Crawford, R.C., Comstock, O J.A., and Plocher, M.D., 2002, Ecoregions of Idaho (color poster with map, descriptive text, summary tables, and 17ae 17h 43v 43k TA 17aa 43p photographs): Reston, Virginia, U.S. Geological Survey (map scale 1:1,350,000). Dillon 17h Salmon Red 43g 17ad 17m 45° Omernik, J.M., 1987, Ecoregions of the conterminous United States (map supplement): Annals of the Association of American 45° 17e 17ab Lodge 17m 43q 43g 17g 17i Geographers, v. 77, no. 1, p. 118-125, scale 1:7,500,000. 18b 17aa Omernik, J.M., 1995, Ecoregions – a framework for environmental management, in Davis, W.S. and Simon, T.P., eds., 17ab 17e 17h 17h 17k WYOMING Biological assessment and criteria-tools for water resource planning and decision making: Boca Raton, Florida, Lewis 17j Publishers, p. 49-62. 17e Omernik, J.M., Chapman, S.S., Lillie, R.A., and Dumke, R.T., 2000, Ecoregions of Wisconsin: Transactions of the Wisconsin 17ab 17d Hebgen Sheridan 17e 17e Lake Academy of Sciences, Arts, and Letters, v. 88, p. 77-103. 17e 17l U.S. Department of Agriculture–Soil Conservation Service, 1981, Land resource regions and major land resource areas of the United States: Agriculture Handbook 296, 156 p.
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