There are 12 ecoregions in Texas, each with distinctive geography, plants, animals, and climate. The document describes several of these regions, including the Piney Woods in east Texas characterized by pine and oak forests with high rainfall; the Chihuahuan Desert in west Texas with cacti and low precipitation; and the Gulf Coast Prairies and Marshes in southeast Texas, known for coastal marshes and barrier islands with abundant rainfall supporting diverse flora and fauna like whooping cranes and spoonbills.

1. Ecoregion
1. Title: Ecoregions of Texas
2. Ecological + region = ecoregion
3. Root word is ecology
– Ecology is the study of the environment (abiotic and
biotic factors)
4. Region means an area of land
5. Ecogoregion is an ecosystem with distinctive features
such as plants, animals, and geography
6. There are 12 ecoregions in Texas

2. What Is An Ecoregion?
• Ecoregion – a major ecosystem with distinctive
geography, characteristic plants and animals,
and ecosystems that receives the same solar
radiation and precipitation
• An ecosystem with distinctive features such as
plants, animals, and geography
– Classified by: Temperature
Precipitation
Soil

3. Region 1: Piney woods
Location: Far east Texas
• Precipitation: The average annual rainfall is 60 to
80 inches
• Temperature Range: the humidity is high and
temperatures are range is 40-60F in January and in
July as high as 70-80F .
• Plant Life: Pine and Oak forests, Palmetto Palm,
over 85 species of trees
• Animal Life: 180 species of birds, squirrels,
snakes, rabbits, opossum
• Geographic Feature: Neches River, Big Thicket

4. Big Thicket Pine

5. Palmetto Leaf

6. Bald Cypress Marsh

7. Neches River

8. Piney Woods Mastery Check
Which of the following is NOT true about the
Piney Woods ecoregion?
A. This region has a diverse population of birds.
B. Piney Woods gets little to no rainfall.
C. This ecoregion has many trees.
D. Piney Woods has swampy, marshy areas.

9. Region 11: Trans Pecos/Chihuahuan Desert
Location: Far West Texas
• Precipitation: Many droughts, 5- 15 inches
• Temperature: Jan.: 30-50F, July: 90-100F
• Plant Life: Cactus, Mesquite trees,
grassland
• Animal Life: Desert Roadrunner, Lizards
Mexican Gray Wolves
• Geography: Croton Peak, Mountains

10. Croton Peak

11. Roadrunner

12. Blooming Cactus

13. Grasslands

14. Mexican Gray Wolves

15. Region 7 & 8: Edwards Plateau, Llano Uplift
Location: Central West Texas
• Precipitation: Rainfall averages from 15 to
34 inches
• Temperature range: Jan: 40-60F, July
70-80F
• Plants: Grasslands, mesquite trees,
wildflowers
• Animals: Mexican Free-tailed Bat,
Salamander
• Geography: Enchanted Rock and Canyons

16. Enchanted Rock

17. Canyon Lands

18. Mexican Free-tailed Bats

19. Texas Blind Salamander

20. Region 10: High Plains
Location: Northwest Texas
• Precipitation: 15 -20 inches
• Temperature: Jan: 30-50F, July
70-100F
• Plant Life: Grasses, bushes, trees
• Animal life: Prairie dogs, ducks,
geese
• Geography: Palo Duro Canyon, Playa
(seasonal lakes)

21. Playa

22. Prairie Dog

23. Palo Duro Canyon

24. Region 4: Gulf Coast Prairies & Marshes
Location: Southeast Texas
• Precipitation: Rainfall 50 to 60 inches per year
- Lots of erosion; high humidity and warm
temperatures
• Temperature Range: Jan. 50-60F, July 70-80F
• Plant Life: Grasses, prairies, live oak
woodlands (Very Diverse)
• Animal Life: Whooping Crane, Rosette
Spoonbills
• Geography: Coastal barrier islands, marshes

25. Barrier Island

26. Rosette Spoonbills

27. Whooping Cranes