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Hills of the Bluegrass

Ecoregion on Cumberland Plateau, Appalachian Mountains in KY

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The mostly forested Hills of the Bluegrass ecoregion is underlain by Upper Ordovician calcareous shale, siltstone, and limestone. It is lithologically unlike the Knobs – Norman Upland (71c), Outer Bluegrass (71d), and Inner Bluegrass (71l). Upland soils are fairly high in phosphorus, potassium, and lime but are not as naturally fertile as Ecoregions 71d and 71l; they support young, mixed forests rich in white oak, hickory, and cedar. The Hills of the Bluegrass (71k) has steeper terrain, droughtier soils, lower soil fertility, higher drainage density, and is more erosion- prone than Ecoregions 71d and 71l. As a result, less than ten percent of Ecoregion 71k is suited to row crop agriculture and the rest is wooded, pastureland, or hayland. Stream nutrient levels are generally lower than in Ecoregions 71d and 71l. Upland streams are often intermittent and have cobble, boulder, or bedrock substrates. Gradients are steeper than in Ecoregion 71l. Fish and macroinvertebrate assemblages are similar to Ecoregions 71d and 71l but have elements that are distinct from Ecoregion 71c.

— EPA

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