Ecological Regions: Level 1 Regions
North AmericaPhysical EnvironmentExtent of the Level I Ecological Regions of North America
EPAA map of North America shows various ecological regions, each marked with a distinct color to represent different Level 1 ecological regions.
Arctic Cordillera (Red): Found in the northernmost parts of Canada, specifically the Arctic Archipelago. Tundra (Blue): Covers large portions of northern Canada, including parts of Nunavut and the Northwest Territories, as well as coastal areas of Alaska. Taiga (Purple): Spans across central and northern Canada, covering parts of Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Columbia. Hudson Plain (Orange): Located in the northeastern part of Canada, around the Hudson Bay area. Boreal Forests (Yellow): Encompasses large areas in Canada, south of the tundra and taiga regions, and extends into parts of Newfoundland and Labrador. Northwestern Forested Mountains (Green): Found along the western coast of Canada and the United States, covering parts of British Columbia and Alaska. Marine West Coast Forest (Brown): Occupies the coastal regions of the Pacific Northwest, including areas in British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, and northern California. Eastern Temperate Forests (Pink): Stretch from the Great Lakes region through the northeastern United States and into eastern Canada. Great Plains (Grey): Span the central United States from Canada to Texas, including parts of Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and several central U.S. states. Deserts and Steppes (Dark Green): Found in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, covering areas in Arizona, New Mexico, and parts of California and Nevada. Mediterranean California (Dark Pink): Specific to the coastal regions of central and southern California. Southern Semi-Arid Highlands (Gold): Located in central Mexico and parts of the southwestern United States. Temperate Sierras (Dark Brown): Found in Mexico, primarily in the Sierra Madre ranges. Tropical Dry Forests (Light Brown): Present in parts of southern Mexico and Central America. Tropical Wet Forests (Light Tan): Located in the southeastern part of Mexico and Central America, including the Yucatan Peninsula.
Arctic Cordillera | Tundra | Taiga | Hudson Plain | Boreal forests | Northwestern forested mountains | Marine west coast forest | Eastern temperate forests | Great Plains | Deserts and steppes | Mediterranean California | Southern semi-arid highlands | Temperate sierras | Tropical wet forests | Class | Rank | Million Metric Tons | -0.25 to 0.25 | 0.75 to 1.0 | 1.0 to 1.25 | 1.25 to 1.5 | 1.5 to 1.75 | Lightning Frequency | <0.1 flashes/km²/year | 0.1 flashes/km²/year | 0.2 flashes/km²/year | 0.4 flashes/km²/year | 0.6 flashes/km²/year | 0.8 flashes/km²/year | 1 flash/km²/year | 2 flashes/km²/year | 4 flashes/km²/year | 6 flashes/km²/year | 8 flashes/km²/year | 10 flashes/km²/year | 20 flashes/km²/year | 30 flashes/km²/year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.96% | 6.84% | 22.1% | 11.9% | 32.1% | 29.3% | 5.59% | 34.8% | 38.2% | 26.9% | 39.7% | 6.89% | 11.3% | 14.5% | 0.311% | 1.20% | 0.159% | 0.444% | 2.10% | 24.4% | 16.4% | 8.63% | 6.27% | 9.50% | 4.67% | 3.58% | 14.1% | 25.7% | 10.1% | 11.3% | 14.8% | 42.6% | 30.6% | 47.1% | ||||