Why is the Edwards Plateau important?
The Edwards Plateau is a recharge zone for the Edwards Aquifer, which provides water for many communities including San Antonio. Other resources are farming, ranching and habitat for many species, including several endangered species.
What is Edwards Plateau in Texas?
The Edwards Plateau is a geographic region at the crossroads of Central, South, and West Texas. It is bounded by the Balcones Fault to the south and east, the Llano Uplift and the Llano Estacado to the north, and the Pecos River and Chihuahuan Desert to the west.
Where is Edwards Plateau in Texas?
The Edwards Plateau Ecological Region of Texas extends in the southwestern regions of Northcentral Texas and includes portions of Concho, Tom Green, Irion, Sterling, Glasscock, Reagan, and Irion counties and an separate area to the north in Coke, Taylor, and Nolan counties.
What is the most significant threat to Edwards Plateau?
Habitat Loss and Degradation Overgrazing has fragmented and eliminated native grasslands and contributed to the expansion of woody species. The southern and western portions of the Edwards Plateau are heavily altered by major encroachment of shrubs as a result of fire suppression.
What animals live in Edwards Plateau?
Although large predators now are uncommon on the Edwards Plateau, bear and mountain lions occasionally are spotted in western portions of the plateau. Other intriguing mammals are more common, such as javelinas, ringtails, bobcats, armadillos, raccoons, opossums and badgers.
Why is it called Edwards Plateau?
In French, the word plateau means ‘table land. One specific plateau, located in the great state of Texas, is the Edwards Plateau. This plateau is in central Texas and is home to an area known as the Texas Hill Country.
Is the Edwards Plateau flat?
The Edwards Plateau is a very large, roughly oblong region in central Texas defined by its bedrock: very thick, mostly flat layers of rock composed primarily of hard early Cretaceous limestone.
What is the main industry of the Edwards Plateau?
Ranching is the primary agricultural industry in the region. Beneath its shallow soils, thousands of caves honeycomb the underlying limestone bedrock of the Edwards Plateau, says TPWD.
What is the temperature in Edwards Plateau?
The Edwards Plateau is hot in the summer, with highs near 100 degrees Fahrenheit, and cool in the winter, with lows near 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Rapid swings in temperature are common, and the temperature can drop 50 degrees in a day. In general the western part of the plateau is colder than the eastern part.
What is the climate like in plateaus?
The climate in which the Plateau peoples live is of the continental type. Temperatures range from −30 °F (−34 °C) in winter to 100 °F (38 °C) in summer. Precipitation is generally low and forms a snow cover during the winter, particularly at higher altitudes.
What animals live in a Llano Uplift?
2) The Llano Uplift is home to very diverse wildlife communities , containing at least 407 game and nongame species , including animals like bobcats , rabbits , turtles , and migratory songbirds.
What is the average temperature in Llano Uplift?
In Llano, the summers are sweltering and muggy; the winters are short, cold, and windy; and it is partly cloudy year round. Over the course of the year, the temperature typically varies from 37°F to 98°F and is rarely below 25°F or above 103°F.
What is the soil like in the Llano Uplift?
The region is characterized by large granite domes, such as Enchanted Rock near Fredericksburg. The landscape is rolling to hilly. Soils are predominantly coarse textured sands, produced from weathered granite over thousands of years.
Where is the Llano Uplift located in Texas?
The Llano Uplift is a geologically ancient, low geologic dome that is about 90 miles (140 km) in diameter and located mostly in Llano, Mason, San Saba, Gillespie, and Blanco counties, Texas.
What cities are located in the Llano Basin section of Texas?
This region includes the Llano Estacado, the Panhandle, Edwards Plateau, Toyah Basin, and the Llano Uplift. It is bordered on the east by the Caprock Escarpment in the panhandle and by the Balcones Fault to the southeast. Cities in this region include Austin, San Angelo, Midland, Odessa, Lubbock, and Amarillo.
How old are the oldest rocks in Texas?
The oldest rocks in Texas can be found in the Llano Uplift, dating back 1.3 billion years. For example, the ancient batholith Enchanted Rock was formed during the Precambrian Era.