Eastern Cascades Slopes and Foothills (ecoregion)
| Eastern Cascades Slopes and Foothills ecoregion | |
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The Pumice Plateau, looking west toward the Cascade Volcanoes
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Eastern Cascades Slopes and Foothills (9)
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| Ecology | |
| Borders | |
| Geography | |
| Country | United States |
| States | Oregon, Washington and California |
| Coordinates | 44°00′N 122°00′W / 44.0°N 122.0°WCoordinates: 44°00′N 122°00′W / 44.0°N 122.0°W |
The Eastern Cascades Slopes and Foothills ecoregion is a Level III ecoregion designated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the U.S. states of Oregon, Washington, and California. In the rain shadow of the Cascade Range, the eastern side of the mountains experiences greater temperature extremes and receives less precipitation than the west side. Open forests of ponderosa pine and some lodgepole pine distinguish this region from the Cascades ecoregion, where hemlock and fir forests are more common, and from the lower, drier ecoregions to the east, where shrubs and grasslands are predominant. The vegetation is adapted to the prevailing dry, continental climate and frequent wildfire. Volcanic cones and buttes are common in much of the region.
The Eastern Cascades Slopes and Foothills ecoregion has been subdivided into ten Level IV ecoregions, as described below. Level IV mapping is not yet complete in California, and the information below includes only the sections in Washington and Oregon.
The high, unglaciated Yakima Plateau and Slopes ecoregion is characterized by plateaus, buttes, and canyons, with medium to high gradient permanent and intermittent streams and rivers on a surface of basalt. Natural springs occur, especially in the south. Elevation varies from 2500 to 5000 feet (762 to 1524 m). The dry continental climate supports open woodlands dominated by ponderosa pine and bitterbrush, with some Douglas-fir and Oregon white oak. Fire is an integral part of the ecosystem. The region covers 1,793 square miles (4,644 km2) in Washington, mainly on land belonging to the Yakama Nation.
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