Prior Lake

Ecosystem Overview

The Prior Lake ecosystem supports 24 documented wildlife species across 21 taxonomic genera. Located in Scott County, Minnesota, this area provides critical habitat with diverse natural communities. The location hosts 5 frequently observed species and 4 occasionally documented species, creating a balanced ecosystem with both resident and visiting wildlife. While Scott County nearby has 76% more documented species, Prior Lake offers unique wildlife observation opportunities. This location ranks #2 for species diversity among 5 Scott County County natural areas, placing it in the 60th percentile for biodiversity.

Biodiversity Highlights

Total Species

Documented wildlife species

Genus Diversity

Taxonomic genera represented

Common Species

Frequently observed species

Rare Species

Occasionally documented species

Regional Rank

Out of 5 locations

Species Distribution

Very Common5 species

Common8 species

Occasional7 species

Rare4 species

Regional Context

Regional Ranking

#2 of 5 locations

60th percentile for diversity

vs. Scott County

-76% species diversity

Ecosystem Overview

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Biodiversity Highlights

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Species Distribution

Very Common‌

Common‌

Occasional‌

Rare‌

Regional Context

Regional Ranking

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Most Common Species

Showing 20 most frequently observed species out of 24 total documented species.

Vaccinium macrocarpon

Cranberry

Very Common3 obs.

Dasineura tumidosae

Very Common2 obs.

Leucorrhinia intacta

Dot-tailed Whiteface

Very Common1 obs.

Neolasioptera convolvuli

Very Common1 obs.

Haliaeetus leucocephalus

Bald Eagle

Very Common1 obs.

Impatiens capensis

orange balsam

Common1 obs.

Comarum palustre

Marsh Five-Fingers

Common1 obs.

Frangula alnus

Frangula

Common1 obs.

Cirsium arvense

Creeping Thistle

Common1 obs.

Utricularia macrorhiza

Common1 obs.

Acer rubrum

Maple

Common1 obs.

Drosera rotundifolia

round-leaved sundew

Occasional1 obs.

Viburnum rafinesqueanum

Downy Arrowwood

Occasional1 obs.

Contarinia negundinis

Occasional1 obs.

Pinus sylvestris

Scots Pine

Occasional1 obs.

Sagittaria latifolia

Broadleaf arrowhead

Occasional1 obs.

Betula nigra

River Birch

Occasional1 obs.

Betula pumila

American Dwarf Birch

Rare1 obs.

Betula papyrifera

White Birch

Rare1 obs.

Aronia melanocarpa

Black Chokeberry

Rare1 obs.

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Most Common Species

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Want the Complete Field Guide?

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Get Your Personalized Field Guide

Download a professional PDF field guide featuring all the species found in Prior Lake. Perfect for outdoor adventures, education, and nature exploration.

$6.99

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Regional Comparison

Regional Ranking

Species Count

-11%

vs. Regional Average

Compared to 4 nearby locations in Scott County County, Minnesota

Nearby Natural Areas

Scott County

Importance: 0.41

100 species

-76% vs. current

Cleary Lake

Importance: 0.35

4 species

+500% vs. current

Lower Prior Lake

Importance: 0.35

1 species

+2300% vs. current

Jordan

Importance: 0.30

1 species

+2300% vs. current

About This Comparison

These comparisons are based on documented wildlife observations from citizen science data. Locations with higher species counts may have more observation activity, different habitat types, or larger coverage areas. Regional rankings help identify biodiversity hotspots and unique natural areas within Scott County County.

Regional Comparison

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Regional Ranking

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Species Count

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vs. Regional Average

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Nearby Natural Areas

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About This Comparison

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Regional Comparison

Regional Ranking

Species Count

-11%

vs. Regional Average

Compared to 4 nearby locations in Scott County County, Minnesota

Nearby Natural Areas

Scott County

Importance: 0.41

100 species

-76% vs. current

Cleary Lake

Importance: 0.35

4 species

+500% vs. current

Lower Prior Lake

Importance: 0.35

1 species

+2300% vs. current

Jordan

Importance: 0.30

1 species

+2300% vs. current

About This Comparison

Ecosystem Overview

Biodiversity Highlights

Total Species

Documented wildlife species

Genus Diversity

Taxonomic genera represented

Common Species

Frequently observed species

Rare Species

Occasionally documented species

Regional Rank

Out of 5 locations

Species Distribution

Very Common5 species

Common8 species

Occasional7 species

Rare4 species

Regional Context

Regional Ranking

#2 of 5 locations

60th percentile for diversity

vs. Scott County

-76% species diversity

Most Common Species

Showing 20 most frequently observed species out of 24 total documented species.

Vaccinium macrocarpon

Cranberry

Very Common3 obs.

Dasineura tumidosae

Very Common2 obs.

Leucorrhinia intacta

Dot-tailed Whiteface

Very Common1 obs.

Neolasioptera convolvuli

Very Common1 obs.

Haliaeetus leucocephalus

Bald Eagle

Very Common1 obs.

Impatiens capensis

orange balsam

Common1 obs.

Comarum palustre

Marsh Five-Fingers

Common1 obs.

Frangula alnus

Frangula

Common1 obs.

Cirsium arvense

Creeping Thistle

Common1 obs.

Utricularia macrorhiza

Common1 obs.

Acer rubrum

Maple

Common1 obs.

Drosera rotundifolia

round-leaved sundew

Occasional1 obs.

Viburnum rafinesqueanum

Downy Arrowwood

Occasional1 obs.

Contarinia negundinis

Occasional1 obs.

Pinus sylvestris

Scots Pine

Occasional1 obs.

Sagittaria latifolia

Broadleaf arrowhead

Occasional1 obs.

Betula nigra

River Birch

Occasional1 obs.

Betula pumila

American Dwarf Birch

Rare1 obs.

Betula papyrifera

White Birch

Rare1 obs.

Aronia melanocarpa

Black Chokeberry

Rare1 obs.

Want the Complete Field Guide?

Get all 24 species with 3-4 high-quality images each, detailed descriptions, and a downloadable PDF for offline use.

Premium field guide includes identification tips, seasonal patterns, and professional layout optimized for field use.