Primary Ecosystems in Pennsylvania
- About a quarter of Pennsylvania is grassland.Thomas Northcut/Photodisc/Getty Images
About a quarter of Pennsylvania's land base is grassland, mostly due to human activity. Human-created grasslands are the result of both surface mining and agriculture. Natural grasslands are rare in Pennsylvania, with the Midwestern prairie extending into the western part of the state. Grass and plant varieties in the fields include ragwort and wild strawberries, which also serve as homes for grasshoppers, quail and sparrows. Bobwhite quail, however, have declined by more than 80 percent since the 1960s. - Forest is the largest ecosystem in Pennsylvania.Jupiterimages/Comstock/Getty Images
Forests are the largest of the primary ecosystems of Pennsylvania. They are filled with oaks, pines and chestnuts and are habitat for deer, bears and turkeys. Old-growth forests are quite rare due to centuries of logging, but much forest has been replanted and is returning as second-growth forest. Barrens, sparsely vegetated areas in thickets and rocky outcrops, comprise only 3 percent of Pennsylvania's land base. Highly adaptive rare plants and animals find their homes in barrens. - Caves in Pennsylvania house rare Indiana bats.Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
The caves of Pennsylvania are home to invertebrates and vertebrates. The endangered Indiana bat and eastern woodrat are two threatened species that dwell in the state's caves. Wetlands comprise around 400,000 acres in Pennsylvania, with about 50 percent of the original wetlands lost due to conversion to ponds, draining and filling. The very rare spreading goldflower and bog turtle are wetland species. Aquatic habitat is composed of lakes and streams, and amphibians and insects make their homes there with other aquatic life. Many miles of stream have been affected by agriculture and mine drainage. - Suburban areas also serve as ecosystems.Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
What might be a surprising primary ecosystem in Pennsylvania is the suburban area. Malls, playgrounds roadways and the like are developed land bases. Suburban areas account for around 15 percent of the land base and are growing. While most of the planting and vegetation depends on the developed area and often helps only the most common species, fruit trees and and shrubs that are planted in development can serve as food sources for native small birds and mammals. Birdfeeders and plantings for butterflies are also becoming a popular addition in suburban development.
