Central Basin and Range ecoregion
|
Central Basin and Range from space (central-west Nevada region, view due-south) | |
|
Central Basin and Range ecoregion (13) | |
| Ecology | |
|---|---|
| Ecozone | Nearctic |
| Biome | North American Desert |
| Borders | Northern Basin and Range (ecoregion) (80), Sierra Nevada (ecoregion) (5) and Wasatch and Uinta Mountains (ecoregion) (19) |
| Geography | |
| Country | United States |
| States | Nevada, Utah, California and Idaho |
The Central Basin and Range ecoregion is a Level III ecoregion designated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with 26 different Level IV ecoregions.[1] Its northern boundary is determined by the highest historical shoreline of Pleistocene Lake Bonneville.
Salt Deserts
The Salt Deserts are Level IV ecoregions within the Central Basin and Range between 41°N and 37.5°N latitude (many at geographic sinks) and generally surrounded by Shadscale-Dominated Saline Basins. The largest includes Utah's Great Salt Lake Desert and extends into 2 areas of Nevada (N & S of West Wendover), and the smallest are at Farmington, Utah,[2] and south of Nevada's Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge.[3] Several Salt Deserts are around ~50% of the Great Salt Lake, another in Utah is at Sevier Lake, and those entirely in Nevada are:[3]
- Pilot Creek Valley at Leppy Reservoir
- Two in Goshute Valley (one is ~700 sq mi (1,800 km2)
- Independence Valley
- Clover Valley
- Ruby Valley (40°46′46″N 114°57′20″W / 40.779502°N 114.955444°W)
- East of Ruby Valley (40°46′35″N 114°41′35″W / 40.776382°N 114.693146°W)
- Two in Steptoe Valley on Spring Creek
- Diamond Valley
- Newark Valley
- East of Newark Valley
- Two in Spring Valley
- Pahroc Valley
- Coal Valley (37°54′44″N 115°18′40″W / 37.912242°N 115.311127°W)
Shadscale-Dominated Saline Basins
The Shadscale-Dominated Saline Basins Level IV ecoregions are distinguished from Salt Deserts by the predominance of Great Basin shrub.
- This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.
- Pine Valley, Utah[2]
- Wah Wah Valley, Utah[2]
| code | |
|---|---|
| 13a | Salt Deserts |
| 13b | Shadscale-Dominated Saline Basins |
| 13c | Sagebrush Basins Sagebrush Slopes |
| 13d | Woodland Low Mountains Shrub-Covered Low Mountains |
| 13e | Carbonate High Elevation Mountains |
| 13g | Wetlands |
| 13h | Lahontan Playas Tonopah Playas |
| 13j | Lahontan Salt Shrub Basin |
| 13k | Lahontan Sagebrush Slopes |
| 13l | Lahontan Uplands |
| 13m | Upper Humboldt Plains |
| 13n | Mid-Elevation Ruby Mountains |
| 13o | High Elevation Ruby Mountains |
| 13p | Carbonate Sagebrush Valleys |
| 13q | Carbonate Woodland |
| 13r | Central Nevada High Valleys |
| 13s | Central Nevada Mid-Slope Woodland Central Nevada Mid-Slope Brushland |
| 13t | Central Nevada Bald Mountain |
| 13u | Tonopah Basin |
| 13v | Tonopah Sagebrush Foothills |
| 13w | Tonopah Uplands |
| 13x | Sierra Nevada-Influenced Ranges |
| 13y | Sierra Nevada-Rain shadow High Elevation Mountains |
| 13z | Upper Lahontan Basin |
| 13aa | Sierra Nevada-Influenced Semiarid Hills and Basins |
References
- ↑ Bryce, S.A; et. al, Ecoregions of Nevada (poster), Reston, Virginia: USGS
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Bryce, S.A; et. al, Ecoregions of Utah, Reston, Virginia: United States Geological Survey
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Bryce, S.A; et. al, Ecoregions of Nevada, Reston, Virginia: United States Geological Survey