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Do not fill this in! ===Ecology and environment=== {{main|Environment of Iowa}} [[Image:Landforms of Iowa.jpg|thumb|upright=1.35|Landforms of Iowa]] Iowa's natural vegetation is [[tallgrass prairie]] and [[savanna]] in upland areas, with dense forest and wetlands in flood plains and protected river valleys, and pothole wetlands in northern prairie areas.<ref name=Prior91 /> Most of Iowa is used for agriculture; crops cover 60% of the state, grasslands (mostly pasture and hay with some prairie and wetland) cover 30%, and forests cover 7%; urban areas and water cover another 1% each.<ref>Iowa DNR: Iowa's Statewide Land Cover Inventory, [http://www.igsb.uiowa.edu/Browse/landcvr/landcvr.htm Uiowa.edu] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090502010333/http://www.igsb.uiowa.edu/Browse/landcvr/landcvr.htm |date=May 2, 2009 }}</ref> The southern part of Iowa is categorized as the [[Central forest-grasslands transition]] ecoregion.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Terrestrial ecoregions of North America : a conservation assessment|date=1999|publisher=Island Press|author=Ricketts, Taylor H.|isbn=1-55963-722-6|location=Washington, D.C.|oclc=40856986}}</ref> The Northern, drier part of Iowa is categorized as part of the [[Central tall grasslands]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.worldwildlife.org/ecoregions/na0805|title=Central tall grasslands {{!}} Ecoregions {{!}} WWF|website=World Wildlife Fund|access-date=April 7, 2020|archive-date=August 10, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200810230034/https://www.worldwildlife.org/ecoregions/na0805|url-status=live}}</ref> There is a dearth of natural areas in Iowa; less than 1% of the [[tallgrass prairie]] that once covered most of Iowa remains intact; only about 5% of the state's prairie pothole wetlands remain, and most of the original forest has been lost.<ref>Iowa's Threatened and Endangered Species Program, [http://www.iowadnr.gov/Environment/ThreatenedEndangered.aspx Iowadnr.gov] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924035847/http://www.iowadnr.gov/Environment/ThreatenedEndangered.aspx |date=September 24, 2015 }}</ref> {{As of|2005}} Iowa ranked 49th of U.S. states in public land holdings.<ref>"Des Moines Register", June 1, 2019, [http://www.nicholasjohnson.org/politics/IaChild/eddmr601.html Iowa Must Step Up Investment in Public Lands] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722011116/http://www.nicholasjohnson.org/politics/IaChild/eddmr601.html |date=July 22, 2011 }} Nicholasjohnson.org</ref> Threatened or endangered animals in Iowa include the [[least tern|interior least tern]], [[piping plover]], [[Indiana bat]], [[pallid sturgeon]], the [[Discus macclintocki|Iowa Pleistocene land snail]], [[Higgins' eye pearly mussel]], and the [[Topeka shiner]].<ref>Federally Listed Animals in Iowa, [http://www.agriculture.state.ia.us/livingOnTheEdge/endangeredAnimals.asp Agriculture.state.ia.us] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110930210518/http://www.agriculture.state.ia.us/livingOnTheEdge/endangeredAnimals.asp |date=September 30, 2011 }}</ref> Endangered or threatened plants include [[western prairie fringed orchid]], [[eastern prairie fringed orchid]], [[Mead's milkweed]], [[prairie bush clover]], and [[northern wild monkshood]].<ref>Federally Listed Plants in Iowa, [http://www.agriculture.state.ia.us/livingOnTheEdge/endangeredPlants.asp Agriculture.state.ia.us] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110930210523/http://www.agriculture.state.ia.us/livingOnTheEdge/endangeredPlants.asp |date=September 30, 2011 }}</ref> The explosion in the number of [[Concentrated animal feeding operation|high-density livestock facilities]] in Iowa has led to increased rural water contamination and a decline in air quality.<ref name="ISU 1">{{cite web|url=https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/opinion/columnists/iowa-view/2020/02/18/cafos-animal-feeding-hogs-harms-iowa-have-worsened-moratorium/4794608002/|title=Living with Hogs in Rural Iowa|year=2003|website=Iowa Ag Review|publisher=[[Iowa State University]]|access-date=November 25, 2009|archive-date=November 20, 2021|archive-url=https://perma.cc/PY49%2DYSPG|url-status=live}}</ref> Other factors negatively affecting Iowa's environment include the extensive use of older [[coal-fired power plants]],<ref name="gazette coal">{{cite news|url=http://gazetteonline.com/breaking-news/2009/11/24/report-many-iowa-coal-plants-among-nations-oldest|archive-url=https://archive.today/20121208190707/http://gazetteonline.com/breaking-news/2009/11/24/report-many-iowa-coal-plants-among-nations-oldest|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 8, 2012|title=Report: Many Iowa coal plants among nation's oldest|last=Heldt|first=Diane|date=November 24, 2009|work=Cedar Rapids Gazette|access-date=November 25, 2009}}</ref> fertilizer and pesticide runoff from crop production,<ref name="IPT runoff">{{cite web|url=http://www.iptv.org/iowajournal/story.cfm/556 |title=Iowa Works to Reduce Run-off Polluting the Gulf of Mexico |date=September 17, 2009 |website=The Iowa Journal |publisher=Iowa Public Television |access-date=November 25, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091106172619/http://www.iptv.org/iowajournal/story.cfm/556 |archive-date=November 6, 2009 }}</ref> and diminishment of the [[Jordan Aquifer]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://gazetteonline.com/local-news/2009/12/06/heavy-use-draining-aquifer |title=Heavy use draining aquifer |last=Love |first=Orlan |date=December 6, 2009 |publisher=Cedar Rapids Gazette |access-date=December 20, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091209064212/http://gazetteonline.com/local-news/2009/12/06/heavy-use-draining-aquifer |archive-date=December 9, 2009 }}</ref> The [[2020β2023 North American drought]] has affected Iowa particularly: As of January 2024, Iowa was in its 187th consecutive week of at least moderate [[drought]], the longest stretch since the 1950s. 96% of areas are affected by drought.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Charmayne Hefley |date=2024-01-29 |title=Iowa faces longest stretch of drought since the 1950s |url=https://www.agriculture.com/iowa-faces-longest-stretch-of-drought-since-the-1950s-8551122 |access-date=2024-03-01 |language=en}}</ref> Summary: Please note that all contributions to Christianpedia may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. 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