What percentage of native flora is found in Illinois forests?

What percentage of native flora is found in Illinois forests?

• A. Sixty-one percent
• B. Forty percent
• C. Seventy-five percent
• D. Fifty percent

Answer: (A)

In Illinois forests, the percentage of native flora is about 61%, meaning roughly six out of ten plant species observed are native to the region. This figure comes from surveys that classify each plant species as native or non-native and then compare totals. The rest are non-native introductions that have established in these forests over time, often due to land use changes, urbanization, and historical plant introductions. This level shows substantial native diversity while also reflecting the lasting influence of introductions on forest composition. The other options would imply notably different balances between native and non-native species, but the best-supported estimate for Illinois forests is around sixty-one percent.

In Illinois forests, the percentage of native flora is about 61%, meaning roughly six out of ten plant species observed are native to the region. This figure comes from surveys that classify each plant species as native or non-native and then compare totals. The rest are non-native introductions that have established in these forests over time, often due to land use changes, urbanization, and historical plant introductions. This level shows substantial native diversity while also reflecting the lasting influence of introductions on forest composition. The other options would imply notably different balances between native and non-native species, but the best-supported estimate for Illinois forests is around sixty-one percent.