Prairie Peninsula
The Prairie Peninsula is an eastward projection of vegetation typically found in American prairies into Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio. The formation of the peninsula is thought to be due to soil moisture retention that differs from the surrounding forests of the region. Natural fire regimes are also considered to have helped maintain the eastern prairies. It has been theorized that the Native American use of fire in ecosystem management contributed to the formation and maintenance of the ecosystem.
The Prairie Peninsula is considered an endangered ecosystem today. Through human settlement and farming, the peninsula has become heavily fragmented.
