Vegetation ecology and change in terrestrial ecosystems. Chapter 4
| Authors: | John B. Taft, Roger C. Anderson, Louis R. Iverson |
| Year: | 2009 |
| Type: | Scientific Journal |
| Station: | Northern Research Station |
| Source: | In: Taft, John B., ed. Canaries in the catbird seat. Special Publication 30. Champaign, IL: Illinois Natural History Survey: 35-72. |
Abstract
What are the major vegetation types that have occurred in Illinois and how have they changed since the last ice age and more specifically since European-Americans settled the region? Ecological factors influencing trends, composition, and diversity in prairie, savanna, open woodland, and forest communities are examined. Historical and contemporary changes will be explored with reference to the proportion and characteristics of habitats remaining in a relatively undegraded condition. While Illinois is a focus for this chapter, the processes and factors explaining vegetational variation have relevance to the entire Midwest and in many cases beyond.