Ecoregion 47m : Western Loess Hills

The Western Loess Hills ecoregion extends south from Iowa and covers only a small area in northwestern Missouri. The deep loess-dominated hills have greater relief and a higher drainage density than the Steeply Rolling Loess Prairies to the east. The more irregular topography and erosive, silty soils contributed to a mixed land use with less cropland and more pasture and woodland than neighboring regions. The flora of this region is mixed, with shortgrass and mixed-grass prairie and rare xeric species on south and west-facing slopes, and bur-oak woodland and tallgrass prairie on cooler, moister slopes.