West Gulf Coastal Plain Calcareous Prairie Habitat

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Habitat Description: Although other calcareous prairies are found west of the Mississippi River, this habitat represents some of the largest known and highest quality remaining examples.  Plant communities occur over relatively deep soils with circumneutral surface soil pH, which is unusual given the predominance of acidic, generally forested soils in the region.  In most cases individual prairie openings are small and isolated from one another, but were formerly more extensive prior to European settlement forming a mosaic of grasslands and woodlands under frequent fire regimes.  The vegetation has much in common with other classic midwestern prairies.  (adapted from NatureServe 2005)

Conservation Practices and Fact Sheets West Gulf Coastal Plain Calcareous Prairie habitat may benefit from conservation practices and fact sheets in the following categories: Habitat Type Fact Sheets Practices Grassland

Species Potentially Found In This Habitat

Amphibians

• Great Plains Narrowmouth Toad - Optimal        

Birds

• American Woodcock - Marginal
• Barn Owl - Suitable
• Bell's Vireo - Suitable
• Buff-breasted Sandpiper - Marginal
• Grasshopper Sparrow - Suitable
• Greater Prairie Chicken - Obligate
• Henslow's Sparrow - Suitable
• King Rail - Marginal
• Lark Sparrow - Suitable
• Le Conte's Sparrow - Suitable
• Migrant Loggerhead Shrike - Optimal
• Northern Bobwhite - Optimal
• Northern Harrier - Suitable
• Painted Bunting - Suitable
• Prairie Warbler - Marginal
• Sedge Wren - Suitable
• Short-eared Owl - Suitable
• Smith's Longspur - Marginal
• Upland Sandpiper - Marginal         
• Willow Flycatcher - Marginal
• Yellow-billed Cuckoo - Marginal

Insects

• Anthophorid Bee - Optimal
• Red Milkweed Beetle - Suitable
• Robberfly - Optimal
• Texas Milkweed Beetle - Optimal

Mammals

• Desert Shrew - Suitable
• Long-tailed Weasel - Information Unavailable

Reptiles

• Southern Prairie Skink - Optimal
• Western Slender Glass Lizard - Optimal

Habitat Potentially Found In The Following Counties

• Clark County
• Hempstead County
• Howard County
• Little River County
• Pike County
• Sevier County