Native Prairie Native Plants Saskatchewan prairies began to

Native Prairie Native Plants

Saskatchewan prairies began to form 17, 000 years ago as the last of the ice from the Wisconsin Glaciation melted. Landscape was shaped by: - Harsh climates - Periodic Fires - Grazing Animals

Native prairie is a grassland ecosystem. Grassland ecosystems cover between 41 -56 million km 2 (31 - 43%) of the earth's surface. They represent one of the earth's major biomes and, historically at least, are one of the most productive and diverse terrestrial ecosystems.

The disappearance of native prairie means the disappearance of thousands of years of evolutionary history.

Grasses dominate native prairie, but a close look at the prairie uncovers hundreds of different species of grasses and wildflowers! Native Plant: a plant indigenous to Saskatchewan that has evolved here! - Have adapted to their specific climatic zone and soil type Pasture Sage

Some adaptations of prairie plants include: - The growing point of many prairie plants is underground, where it can survive fire/grazing and regrow

- Prairie grasses have narrow leaves that lose less water to evaporation than broad, flat leaves lose. - Prairie plants have roots that extend downward for as much as 3. 5 meters and form networks to absorb moisture during dry periods.

- Brightly colored flowers attract pollinators such as bees, wasps, and birds. Blanket Flower Prairie Rose

Native prairie plants are part of the biodiversity that help to keep our ecosystems healthy. Support a vast number of species that have evolved with them in an intricate relationship. Prairie Coneflower

Wild Blue Flax

Purple Prairie Clover

Blue Grama Grass

Needle and Thread Grass

June Grass

Prairie Sandreed

Foxtail Barley