Western Corn Belt Plains facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Western Corn Belt Plains ecoregion
Level III ecoregions in the region, with the Western Corn Belt Plains ecoregion marked as (47) (full map)
Ecology
Borders	List North Central Hardwood Forests (51) Driftless Area (52) Southern Coastal Plain (54) Interior River Valleys and Hills (72) Central Irregular Plains (40) Flint Hills (28) Central Great Plains (27) Nebraska Sand Hills (44) Northwestern Glaciated Plains (42) Northern Glaciated Plains (46)
Geography
Country	United States
States	Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wisconsin
Climate type	Humid continental (Dfa)

The Western Corn Belt Plains is a special natural area, or "ecoregion." It was named by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This ecoregion stretches across seven U.S. states, but most of it is in Iowa.

Scientists have divided this large area into fifteen smaller parts. These smaller parts are called "Level IV ecoregions."

What Makes the Western Corn Belt Plains Special?

Long ago, this area was covered in tallgrass prairie. This means it had very tall grasses. Today, over 75 percent of the land is used for farming. Farmers grow crops like corn and soybeans here. The rest of the land is used to grow food for animals like cows.

The land here is mostly flat or gently rolling. It was shaped by ancient glaciers. The soil is very rich and moist. It also gets enough rain, especially when plants are growing. This makes it one of the best places in the world to grow corn and soybeans.

Keeping Our Environment Healthy

Because so much farming happens here, there are some environmental worries. Fertilizers and bug sprays used on farms can sometimes get into the water. This can affect rivers, lakes, and groundwater. Also, large farms with many animals can impact the environment. People are working to find ways to farm that keep the land and water clean.

How Was This Ecoregion Formed?

The Western Corn Belt Plains was shaped by glaciers long ago. As glaciers moved, they left behind layers of soil and rock. This created the flat and gently rolling plains we see today. The rich soil, called "loess," was carried by wind. It settled over the land, making it very fertile for farming.

Exploring the Smaller Parts of the Western Corn Belt Plains

The Western Corn Belt Plains is divided into many unique sections. Each section has its own special features. Let's explore some of these smaller ecoregions.

Northwest Iowa Loess Prairies (47a)

This area is a gently rolling plain. It has a thick layer of loess soil. It is the highest and driest part of the Western Corn Belt Plains. Most of this region is used for growing crops. There are not many trees, except along streams.

Des Moines Lobe (47b)

This part of Iowa is very flat and was formed by glaciers recently. It has unique landforms from the last Ice Age. You can see ridges and small hills left by the ice. Unlike other areas, it doesn't have much loess soil. Many natural lakes in Iowa are found here. Most of the wet prairies have been turned into farmland.

Iowan Surface (47c)

This region is complex. It sits between older bedrock areas and newer glacial lands. The southern border is uneven, with many river valleys. In the north, the glacial deposits are thin. Limestone bedrock creates features like sinkholes. There are no natural lakes here. However, rivers create diverse habitats for fish.

Missouri Alluvial Plain (47d)

This is a wide, flat plain next to the Missouri River. High bluffs with deep loess soil surround it. The river channel has been changed to help boats and farming. The deep, rich soils are great for growing crops. Most of the original forests and prairies are gone due to farming.

Steeply Rolling Loess Prairies (47e)

This area has rolling hills with very thick loess soil. It is different from the flat Missouri Alluvial Plain. Clearing land for farming has caused soil erosion. This means soil washes away easily. Originally, it had tallgrass prairie and woodlands. Today, it is mostly prime farmland.

Rolling Loess Prairies (47f)

This region has loess soil on well-drained plains and low hills. The loess is thinner here than in other areas. It used to have a mix of tallgrass prairie and oak-hickory forests. While farming is common, this area has more woodlands and pastures than its neighbor, 47e.

Nebraska/Kansas Loess Hills (47h)

These hills are deeper and have more ups and downs than the flat river valley nearby. They have deep, silty soils that drain well. Tallgrass prairie used to cover this area. Oak-hickory forests grew along stream valleys. Now, farming is common. Enough rain falls here for farming without much extra watering.

Loess and Glacial Drift Hills (47i)

This area has low, rolling hills covered in loess. Some places show older glacial till. The loess layers are generally thinner here. Historically, it had more tallgrass prairie and less oak-hickory forest than 47h. The flatter hills are used for crops. The areas with glacial till are often used for rangeland.

Lower Platte Alluvial Plain (47j)

This is an extension of the Platte River Valley. However, it shares more features with the Western Corn Belt Plains. The soils are silty, loamy, and sandy. They come from river deposits. Most of the land is used for farming, often with irrigation. The original plants included tallgrass prairie and wet meadows.

Northeastern Nebraska Loess Hills (47k)

These hills have older, coarser loess soil. The weather here is generally cooler. It also gets a bit less rain than southern areas. Growing corn is common here. There is more irrigated farming and pastureland. However, it has fewer scattered woodlands than other parts of the Western Corn Belt Plains.

Transitional Sandy Plain (47l)

This region connects the Sand Hills to the west with the glaciated areas to the east. It is a level to rolling plain. The soils are sandier than in other regions of the Western Corn Belt Plains. The original plants were a mix of Sand Hills prairie, tallgrass prairie, and wet meadows. It did not have the oak-hickory forests found further east.

Western Loess Hills (47m)

This ecoregion extends from Iowa into a small part of northwestern Missouri. It has deep loess hills with more varied terrain. The uneven land and easily eroded soils mean there is less cropland. Instead, you find more pasture and woodland. The plants here are a mix of shortgrass and mixed-grass prairie. Oak woodlands and tallgrass prairie grow on cooler slopes.