Editing Tennessee (section)

==Geography==
{{main|Geography of Tennessee}}
{{See also|Geology of Tennessee}}
{{multiple image
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 |footer = Maps of the [[Grand Divisions of Tennessee]], with [[East Tennessee]] at the top, [[Middle Tennessee]] in the center, and [[West Tennessee]] at the bottom.
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Tennessee is in the [[Southeastern United States]]. Culturally, most of the state is considered part of the [[Upland South]], and the eastern third is part of [[Appalachia]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Hudson |first=John C. |title=Across this Land: A Regional Geography of the United States and Canada |publisher=JHU Press |year=2002 |isbn=978-0-8018-6567-1|pages=101–116|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FQUbfAWhh-oC |via=Google Books}}</ref> Tennessee covers roughly {{convert|42,143|mi2|km2}}, of which {{convert|926|mi2|km2}}, or 2.2%, is water. It is the [[List of U.S. states and territories by area|16th smallest state]] in land area. The state is about {{convert|440|mi|km}} long from east to west and {{convert|112|mi|km}} wide from north to south. Tennessee is geographically, culturally, economically, and legally divided into three [[Grand Divisions of Tennessee|Grand Divisions]]: [[East Tennessee]], [[Middle Tennessee]], and [[West Tennessee]].<ref name=granddivisions/> It borders eight other states: [[Kentucky]] and [[Virginia]] to the north, [[North Carolina]] to the east, [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]], [[Alabama]], and [[Mississippi]] on the south, and [[Arkansas]] and [[Missouri]] on the west. It is tied with Missouri as the state bordering the most other states.<ref>{{cite web |title=U.S. States And Their Border States |url=https://thefactfile.org/u-s-states-and-their-border-states/ |website=thefactfile.org |access-date=July 17, 2021}}</ref> Tennessee is trisected by the [[Tennessee River]], and its geographical center is in [[Murfreesboro, Tennessee|Murfreesboro]]. Nearly three–fourths of the state is in the [[Central Time Zone]], with most of East Tennessee on [[Eastern Time Zone|Eastern Time]].<ref name=astor>{{cite book |last1=Astor |first1=Aaron |title=The Civil War Along Tennessee's Cumberland Plateau |date=2015 |publisher=The History Press |location=Charleston, South Carolina |isbn=978-1-62619-404-5 |lccn=2015932376 |page=11 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yme4CAAAQBAJ |access-date=May 31, 2021}}</ref> The Tennessee River forms most of the division between Middle and West Tennessee.<ref name=granddivisions>{{cite web |title=Grand Divisions |url=https://tennesseehistory.org/grand-divisions/ |website=tennesseehistory.org |publisher=Tennessee Historical Society |access-date=July 17, 2021 |location=Nashville |date=November 14, 2020}}</ref>

Tennessee's eastern boundary roughly follows the highest crests of the [[Blue Ridge Mountains]], and the [[Mississippi River]] forms its western boundary.<ref name=stein>{{cite book |last=Stein |first=Mark |date=2008 |title=How the States Got Their Shapes |location=New York |publisher=HarperCollins |pages=257–262 |isbn=978-0-06-143139-5}}</ref> Due to flooding of the Mississippi that has changed its path, the state's western boundary deviates from the river in some places.<ref name=tnmag0115>{{cite journal |last=Carey |first=Bill |date=January 2015 |title=Nine things about Tennessee geography that may surprise you |url=https://www.tnmagazine.org/nine-things-about-tennessee-geography-that-may-surprise-you/ |journal=Tennessee Magazine |volume=<!--Needed--> |issue=<!--Needed--> |pages=<!--Needed--> |access-date=May 13, 2021}}</ref> The northern border was originally defined as [[parallel 36°30′ north|36°30′ north latitude]] and the [[Royal Colonial Boundary of 1665]], but due to faulty surveys, begins north of this line in the east, and to the west, gradually veers north before shifting south onto the actual 36°30′ parallel at the Tennessee River in West Tennessee.<ref name=stein/><ref>{{cite news |last1=Harrington |first1=John |last2=Suneson |first2=Grant |date=April 10, 2021 |title=From Alabama to Wyoming, this is how each state got its shape |url=https://247wallst.com/special-report/2021/04/03/this-is-how-each-state-got-its-shape/ |work=USA Today |access-date=May 20, 2021}}</ref> Uncertainties in the latter 19th century over the location of the state's border with Virginia culminated in the U.S. Supreme Court [[Virginia v. Tennessee|settling the matter in 1893]], which resulted in the division of [[Bristol, Tennessee|Bristol]] between the two states.<ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.heraldcourier.com/news/pieces-of-the-past-supreme-court-looked-at-controversy-over/article_37075b77-6b6c-5a8b-a33d-4f74b5d3a0f1.html |title= Pieces of the Past: Supreme Court looked at controversy over Bristol border location |first1= Dalena |last1= Mathews |first2= Robert |last2= Sorrell |newspaper= Bristol Herald Courier |date= October 6, 2018 |access-date= September 16, 2019 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20181006224334/https://www.heraldcourier.com/news/pieces-of-the-past-supreme-court-looked-at-controversy-over/article_37075b77-6b6c-5a8b-a33d-4f74b5d3a0f1.html |archive-date= October 6, 2018 |url-status= live}}</ref> An 1818 survey erroneously placed Tennessee's southern border {{convert|1|mi|km}} south of the [[35th parallel north|35th parallel]]; Georgia legislators [[Tennessee–Georgia water dispute|continue to dispute this placement]], as it prevents Georgia from accessing the Tennessee River.<ref>{{cite news|last=Morton|first=William J.|date=April 4, 2016|title=How Georgia got its northern boundary – and why we can't get water from the Tennessee River|url=https://saportareport.com/georgia-got-northern-boundary-cant-get-water-tennessee-river/|work=Saporta Report|location=Atlanta|access-date=April 9, 2019}}</ref>

Marked by a diversity of landforms and topographies, Tennessee features six principal [[Physiographic regions of the United States|physiographic provinces]], from east to west, which are part of three larger regions: the [[Blue Ridge Mountains]], [[Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians]], and [[Cumberland Plateau]], part of the [[Appalachian Mountains]]; the [[Highland Rim]] and [[Nashville Basin]], part of the [[Interior Low Plateaus]] of the [[Interior Plains]]; and the [[Gulf Coastal Plain|East Gulf Coastal Plain]], part of the [[Atlantic Plain]]s.{{sfn|Safford|1869|pp=11–12}}{{sfn|Moore|1994|pp=55–56}} Other regions include the southern tip of the [[Cumberland Mountains]], the [[Tennessee Valley|Western Tennessee Valley]], and the [[Mississippi Alluvial Plain]]. The state's highest point, which is also the third-highest peak in eastern North America, is [[Kuwohi]] (formerly Clingmans Dome), at {{convert|6643|ft|m}} above sea level.<ref name="usgs">{{cite web |url=http://erg.usgs.gov/isb/pubs/booklets/elvadist/elvadist.html#Highest |title=Elevations and Distances in the United States |publisher=U.S. Geological Survey |date=April 29, 2005 |access-date=December 16, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080116113632/http://erg.usgs.gov/isb/pubs/booklets/elvadist/elvadist.html |archive-date=January 16, 2008}}</ref> Its lowest point, {{convert|178|ft|m}}, is on the Mississippi River at the Mississippi state line in Memphis.<ref name=USGS/> Tennessee has the most caves in the United States, with more than 10,000 documented.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/regions/northamerica/unitedstates/tennessee/placesweprotect/tennessee-caves.xml|title=Tennessee Caves|publisher=The Nature Conservancy|access-date=March 31, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304105021/http://www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/regions/northamerica/unitedstates/tennessee/placesweprotect/tennessee-caves.xml|archive-date=March 4, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Geological formations in Tennessee largely correspond with the state's topographic features, and, in general, decrease in age from east to west. The state's oldest rocks are [[igneous rock|igneous]] strata more than 1 billion years old found in the Blue Ridge Mountains,<ref>{{cite web |title=Blue Ridge Province |url=https://www.nps.gov/articles/blueridgeprovince.htm |website=nps.gov |publisher=National Park Service |access-date=May 27, 2021 |date=April 30, 2018}}</ref>{{sfn|Moore|1994|pp=26–28}} and the youngest deposits in Tennessee are sands and silts in the Mississippi Alluvial Plain and river valleys that drain into the Mississippi River.{{sfn|Moore|1994|pp=49–52}} Tennessee is considered seismically active and contains two major seismic zones, although destructive earthquakes rarely occur there.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Sadler |first1=Megan |title=Are you prepared for an earthquake? Tennessee projected to experience major quake in coming years |url=https://www.wvlt.tv/2020/10/15/are-you-prepared-for-an-earthquake-tennessee-projected-to-experience-major-quake-in-coming-years/ |access-date=May 27, 2021 |work=[[WVLT-TV]] |date=October 15, 2020 |location=Knoxville, TN}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Mays |first1=Mary |title=Tennessee is more earthquake-prone than you may expect |url=https://www.wkrn.com/weather-headlines/tennessee-is-more-earthquake-prone-than-you-may-expect/ |access-date=May 27, 2021 |publisher=[[WKRN-TV]] |date=December 12, 2018 |location=Nashville}}</ref> The [[Eastern Tennessee seismic zone]] spans the entirety of East Tennessee from northwestern Alabama to southwestern Virginia, and is considered one of the most active zones in the Southeastern United States, frequently producing low-magnitude earthquakes.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Cox |first1=Randy |last2=Hatcher |first2=Robert D. |last3=Counts |first3=Ron |last4=Gamble |last5=Warrell |first5=Kathleen |title=Quaternary faulting along the Dandridge-Vonore fault zone in the Eastern Tennessee seismic zone |journal=American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2017 |date=March 29, 2018 |pages=81–94 |doi=10.1130/2018.0050(06) |publisher=American Geophysical Union |location=New Orleans|isbn=9780813700502}}</ref> The [[New Madrid seismic zone]] in the northwestern part of the state produced [[1811–1812 New Madrid earthquakes|a series of devastating earthquakes]] between December 1811 and February 1812 that formed [[Reelfoot Lake]] near [[Tiptonville, Tennessee|Tiptonville]].<ref>{{cite web |author=US Geological Survey |url=https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/events/1811-1812newmadrid/summary.php |title=Summary of 1811-1812 New Madrid Earthquakes Sequence |publisher=USGS |access-date=August 8, 2017 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170808194920/https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/events/1811-1812newmadrid/summary.php |archive-date=August 8, 2017}}</ref>

===Topography===
[[File:Mt. LeConte Clingmans Dome 05-31-20.jpg|thumb|right|alt=Photograph of Mount Le Conte in the Great Smoky Mountains, the tallest mountain in eastern North America, measured from base to summit|[[Mount Le Conte (Tennessee)|Mount Le Conte]] in the [[Great Smoky Mountains]] is the tallest mountain in eastern North America, measured from base to summit]]

The southwestern [[Blue Ridge Mountains]] lie within Tennessee's eastern edge, and are divided into several subranges, namely the [[Great Smoky Mountains]], [[Bald Mountains]], [[Unicoi Mountains]], [[Unaka Range|Unaka Mountains]], and [[Iron Mountains]]. These mountains, which average {{convert|5,000|ft|m}} above sea level in Tennessee, contain some of the highest elevations in eastern North America. The state's border with North Carolina roughly follows the highest peaks of this range, including Kuwohi. Most of the Blue Ridge area is protected by the [[Cherokee National Forest]], the [[Great Smoky Mountains National Park]], and several federal wilderness areas and state parks.<ref name="federal lands">{{cite web |title=Federal Lands and Indian Reservations - Tennessee |url=https://legacy.lib.utexas.edu/maps/united_states/fed_lands_2003/tennessee_2003.pdf |publisher=United States Department of the Interior |access-date=June 20, 2021 |location=Washington, D.C. |date=2003 |via=University of Texas Libraries}}</ref> The [[Appalachian Trail]] roughly follows the North Carolina state line before shifting westward into Tennessee.<ref>{{cite web |title=Appalachian Trail Map |url=https://www.nps.gov/appa/planyourvisit/upload/APPA%20Map.pdf |website=nps.gov |publisher=National Park Service |access-date=July 17, 2021 |location=Washington, D.C.}}</ref>

Stretching west from the Blue Ridge Mountains for about {{convert|55|mi|km}} are the [[Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians]], also known as the Tennessee Valley{{efn|This is not to be confused with the [[Tennessee Valley]], the drainage basin of the Tennessee River, which covers most of this region.}} or Great Valley of East Tennessee. This area consists of linear parallel ridges separated by valleys that trend northeast to southwest, the general direction of the entire Appalachian range.{{sfn|Moore|1994|p=64}} Most of these ridges are low, but some of the higher ones are commonly called mountains.{{sfn|Moore|1994|p=64}} Numerous tributaries join to form the Tennessee River in the Ridge and Valley region.<ref name=physiomap>{{cite map |title=Physiographic Map of Tennessee|year=1946|url=https://sites.tntech.edu/hwleimer/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2020/07/Physiographic-Map-of-Tennessee.pdf|scale = 1:3,000,000|publisher=Ginn and Company|location=<!--Needed-->|access-date=June 20, 2021|via=Tennessee Tech}}</ref>

[[File:Fall Creek Falls.jpg|thumb|left|alt=Photograph of Fall Creek Falls, the tallest waterfall in the eastern United States|[[Fall Creek Falls]], the tallest waterfall in the eastern United States, is located on the Cumberland Plateau]]
The [[Cumberland Plateau]] rises to the west of the Tennessee Valley, with an average elevation of {{convert|2,000|ft|m}}.<ref name=maertens>{{cite thesis |last=Maertens |first=Thomas Brock |date=June 10, 1980 |title=The Relationship of Maintenance Costs to Terrain and Climate on Interstate 40 in Tennessee |type=MSc |chapter= |publisher=The University of Tennessee |docket=ADA085221 |url=https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/ADA085221.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210627180437/https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/ADA085221.pdf |url-status=live |archive-date=June 27, 2021 |access-date=June 27, 2021}}</ref> This landform is part of the larger [[Appalachian Plateau]] and consists mostly of flat-topped [[table (landform)|tablelands]].<ref name="npsgeo">{{cite web |title=Geology and History of the Cumberland Plateau |url=https://www.nps.gov/biso/planyourvisit/upload/webgeo.pdf |website=nps.gov |publisher=National Park Service |access-date=May 27, 2021}}</ref> The plateau's eastern edge is relatively distinct, but the western [[escarpment]] is irregular, containing several long, crooked stream valleys separated by rocky cliffs with numerous [[waterfall]]s.{{sfn|Moore|1994|pp=68–72}} The [[Cumberland Mountains]], with peaks above {{convert|3,500|ft|m}}, comprise the northeastern part of the Appalachian Plateau in Tennessee, and the southeastern part of the Cumberland Plateau is divided by the [[Sequatchie Valley]].{{sfn|Moore|1994|pp=68–72}} The [[Justin P. Wilson Cumberland Trail State Park|Cumberland Trail]] traverses the eastern escarpment of the Cumberland Plateau and Cumberland Mountains.<ref>{{cite web |title=Cumberland Trail State Scenic Trail - 2020 |url=https://ctsst.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=ae4ff34c7bc742e7a6c6e5b738f65c2c |website=arcgis |publisher=Cumberland Trails Conference |access-date=July 17, 2021 |date=2020}}</ref>

[[File:Reelfoot Lake.jpg|thumb|right|alt=Photograph of Reelfoot Lake in West Tennessee, formed by the 1811–1812 New Madrid earthquakes|[[Reelfoot Lake]] in West Tennessee was formed by the [[1811–1812 New Madrid earthquakes]]]]
West of the Cumberland Plateau is the [[Highland Rim]], an elevated plain that surrounds the [[Nashville Basin]], a [[dome (geology)|geological dome]].{{sfn|Safford|1869|pp=81–82}} Both of these physiographic provinces are part of the [[Interior Low Plateaus]] of the larger [[Interior Plains]]. The Highland Rim is Tennessee's largest geographic region, and is often split into eastern and western halves.{{sfn|Safford|1869|pp=81–82, 103}} The Eastern Highland Rim is characterized by relatively level plains dotted by rolling hills, and the Western Highland Rim and western Nashville Basin are covered with uneven rounded knobs with steep [[ravine]]s separated by meandering streams.{{sfn|Safford|1869|pp=83–85, 98-100}} The Nashville Basin has rich, fertile farmland,{{sfn|Safford|1869|p=97}} and porous limestone bedrock very close to the surface underlies both the Nashville Basin and Eastern Highland Rim.{{sfn|Safford|1869|pp=83–85}} This results in [[karst]] that forms numerous caves, sinkholes, depressions, and underground streams.<ref name=mooredrumm>{{cite web |last1=Moore |first1=Harry |last2=Drumm |first2=Eric G. |title=Karst Geology in Tennessee |url=https://extension.tennessee.edu/publications/Documents/W453-C.pdf |publisher=University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture |access-date=May 23, 2021 |location=Knoxville, TN |archive-date=May 23, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230523090223/https://extension.tennessee.edu/publications/Documents/W453-C.pdf |url-status=dead}}</ref>

West of the Highland Rim is the [[Tennessee Valley|Western Tennessee Valley]], which consists of about {{convert|10|mi|km}} in width of hilly land along the banks of the Tennessee River.{{sfn|Safford|1869|pp=104–106}} West of this is the [[Gulf Coastal Plain]], a broad feature that begins at the [[Gulf of Mexico]] and extends northward into southern [[Illinois]].{{sfn|Safford|1869|p=110–111}} The plain begins in the east with low rolling hills and wide stream valleys, known as the West Tennessee Highlands, and gradually levels out to the west.{{sfn|Safford|1869|p=111}} It ends at steep [[loess]] bluffs overlooking the [[Mississippi embayment]], the westernmost physiographic division of Tennessee, which is part of the larger [[Mississippi Alluvial Plain]].{{sfn|Moore|1994|pp=82–84}} This flat {{convert|10 to 14|mi|km}} wide strip is commonly known as the Mississippi Bottoms, and contains lowlands, [[floodplain]]s, and [[swamp]]s.{{sfn|Safford|1869|pp=112–113}}<ref>{{cite web |title=Overview of the State - Tennessee - 2021 |url=https://mchb.tvisdata.hrsa.gov/Narratives/Overview/37823985-1a99-49ae-8241-10022fca6e2b |website=hrsa.gov |publisher=[[Health Resources and Services Administration]] |access-date=June 20, 2021 |location=North Bethesda, Maryland |date=2021}}</ref>

===Hydrology===
Tennessee is drained by [[List of rivers in Tennessee|three major rivers]], the [[Tennessee River|Tennessee]], [[Cumberland River|Cumberland]], and [[Mississippi River|Mississippi]]. The Tennessee River begins at the juncture of the [[Holston River|Holston]] and [[French Broad River|French Broad]] rivers in Knoxville, flows southwest to Chattanooga, and exits into Alabama before reemerging in the western part of the state and flowing north into Kentucky.<ref name=loc39>{{cite web |url=https://www.loc.gov/item/2008628288 |title=Tennessee Valley Area: pictorial map |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=1939 |publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office |access-date=June 23, 2020 |via=Library of Congress}}</ref> Its major tributaries include the [[Clinch River|Clinch]], [[Little Tennessee River|Little Tennessee]], [[Hiwassee River|Hiwassee]], [[Sequatchie River|Sequatchie]], [[Elk River (Tennessee River tributary)|Elk]], [[Beech River|Beech]], [[Buffalo River (Tennessee)|Buffalo]], [[Duck River (Tennessee)|Duck]], and [[Big Sandy River (Tennessee)|Big Sandy]] rivers.<ref name=loc39/> The Cumberland River flows through the north-central part of the state, emerging in the northeastern Highland Rim, passing through Nashville, turning northwest to Clarksville, and entering Kentucky east of the Tennessee River.<ref name=tdeccumberland>{{cite web|url=https://www.tn.gov/environment/program-areas/wr-water-resources/watershed-stewardship/watersheds-by-basin/cumberland-river-basin-barren-river-watershed.html|title=Cumberland River Basin & Barren River Watershed|author=<!--Not stated-->|website=tn.gov|publisher=Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation|access-date=June 23, 2020|archive-date=August 7, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200807155037/https://www.tn.gov/environment/program-areas/wr-water-resources/watershed-stewardship/watersheds-by-basin/cumberland-river-basin-barren-river-watershed.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> Its principal branches in Tennessee are the [[Obey River|Obey]], [[Caney Fork River|Caney Fork]], [[Stones River|Stones]], [[Harpeth River|Harpeth]], and [[Red River (Cumberland River tributary)|Red]] rivers.<ref name=tdeccumberland/> The Mississippi River drains nearly all of West Tennessee.<ref name=tdecms>{{cite web|url=https://www.tn.gov/environment/program-areas/wr-water-resources/watershed-stewardship/watersheds-by-basin/mississippi-river-basin.html|title=Mississippi River Basin|author=<!--Not stated-->|website=tn.gov|publisher=Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation|access-date=June 23, 2020|archive-date=June 23, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200623141233/https://www.tn.gov/environment/program-areas/wr-water-resources/watershed-stewardship/watersheds-by-basin/mississippi-river-basin.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> Its tributaries are the [[Obion River|Obion]], [[Forked Deer River|Forked Deer]], [[Hatchie River|Hatchie]], [[Loosahatchie River|Loosahatchie]], and [[Wolf River (Tennessee)|Wolf]] rivers.<ref name=tdecms/> The [[Tennessee Valley Authority]] (TVA) and the [[U.S. Army Corps of Engineers]] operate many hydroelectric dams on the Tennessee and Cumberland rivers and their tributaries, which form large reservoirs throughout the state.{{sfn|Corlew|Folmsbee|Mitchell|1981|pp=12–13}}

About half the state's land area is in the [[Tennessee Valley]] drainage basin of the Tennessee River.<ref name=loc39/> The Cumberland River basin covers the northern half of Middle Tennessee and a small portion of East Tennessee.<ref name=tdeccumberland/> A small part of north-central Tennessee is in the [[Green River (Kentucky)|Green River]] watershed.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tn.gov/environment/program-areas/wr-water-resources/watershed-stewardship/watersheds-by-basin/cumberland-river-basin---barren-river-watershed/barren-river-watershed.html|title=Barren River Watershed|author=<!--Not stated-->|website=tn.gov|publisher=Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation|access-date=June 23, 2020|archive-date=August 7, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200807145208/https://www.tn.gov/environment/program-areas/wr-water-resources/watershed-stewardship/watersheds-by-basin/cumberland-river-basin---barren-river-watershed/barren-river-watershed.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> All three of these basins are tributaries of the [[Ohio River]] watershed. Most of West Tennessee is in the [[Lower Mississippi River]] watershed.<ref name=tdecms/> The entirety of the state is in the [[Mississippi River#Watershed|Mississippi River watershed]], except for a small sliver near the southeastern corner traversed by the [[Conasauga River]], which is part of the [[Mobile Bay]] watershed.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Carey|first=Bill|date=October 2017|title=Conasauga River nearly became important in Tennessee history|url=https://www.tnmagazine.org/conasauga-river-nearly-became-important-tennessee-history/|journal=Tennessee Magazine|access-date=June 23, 2020|url-access=<!--WP:URLACCESS-->}}</ref>

=== Ecology ===
[[File:Cedar-glade-col-tn1.jpg|thumb|left|alt=Photograph of a cedar glade, a rare ecosystem found in Middle Tennessee|[[calcareous glade|Cedar glade]]s are an ecosystem that is found in regions of Middle Tennessee where limestone bedrock is close to the surface]]

Tennessee is within a [[temperate deciduous forest]] biome commonly known as the Eastern Deciduous Forest.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Dyer |first1=James M. |title=Revisiting the Deciduous Forests of Eastern North America |journal=[[BioScience]] |date=April 2006 |volume=56 |issue=4 |pages=341–352 |doi=10.1641/0006-3568(2006)56[341:RTDFOE]2.0.CO;2 |publisher=Oxford University Press|doi-access=free}}</ref> It has eight [[List of ecoregions in the United States (EPA)|ecoregion]]s: the [[Blue Ridge Mountains|Blue Ridge]], [[Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians|Ridge and Valley]], Central Appalachian, Southwestern Appalachian, [[Interior Low Plateaus]], Southeastern Plains, Mississippi Valley Loess Plains, and [[Mississippi Alluvial Plain (ecoregion)|Mississippi Alluvial Plain]] regions.<ref name=fap20>{{cite report |docket= |last1=Slayton |first1=Heather |last2=Johnson |first2=Trish |last3=Greene |first3=Rachel |last4=Hill |first4=Jeff |last5=Hiltibran |first5=Christel |title=Tennessee Forest Action Plan 2020-2030 |url=https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/agriculture/documents/forestry/2020-tn-fap/2020-TN-FAP.pdf |publisher=Tennessee Department of Agriculture |date=December 2020 |pages=14–19 |access-date=May 14, 2020 |archive-date=May 14, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210514185936/https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/agriculture/documents/forestry/2020-tn-fap/2020-TN-FAP.pdf |url-status=dead}}</ref> Tennessee is the most [[biodiverse]] inland state,<ref>{{cite journal |last=Amacker |first=Todd |title=Tennessee—The Most Biodiverse Inland State |journal=Fisheries |publisher=American Fisheries Society |location=Bethesda, MD |volume=43 |issue=8 |pages=369–373 |date=August 9, 2018 |s2cid=91480878 |doi=10.1002/fsh.10124|bibcode=2018Fish...43..369A}}</ref> the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most biodiverse national park,<ref name=climatechange>{{cite web |author1=Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency |author2=National Wildlife Federation |author3=The Nature Conservancy |title=Climate Change and Potential Impacts to Wildlife in Tennessee |url=https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/twra/documents/habitat/climatefacts.pdf |website=tn.gov |access-date=May 14, 2021 |location=Nashville}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author1=WATE Staff |title=GSMNP reaches biodiversity milestone of 20,000 species |url=https://www.wate.com/news/tennessee/gsmnp-reaches-biodiversity-milestone-of-20000-species/ |access-date=May 14, 2021 |publisher=[[WATE-TV]] |date=January 12, 2021 |location=Knoxville, TN}}</ref> and the [[Duck River (Tennessee)|Duck River]] is the most biologically diverse waterway in North America.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Sohn |first1=Pam |title=Tennessee's Duck River in National Geographic |url=https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/green/story/2010/jan/27/tennessees-duck-river-in-national-geographic/3260/ |access-date=May 14, 2021 |work=Chattanooga Times Free Press |date=January 27, 2010}}</ref> The Nashville Basin is renowned for its diversity of flora and fauna.<ref>{{cite web|last=Sarah|date=December 15, 2020|title=7 Dangerous Animals in Tennessee: Deadliest Wildlife Guide|url=https://www.journeyingtheglobe.com/most-dangerous-animals-in-tennessee|access-date=April 10, 2021|website=Journeying The Globe|archive-date=April 10, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210410070124/https://www.journeyingtheglobe.com/most-dangerous-animals-in-tennessee|url-status=dead}}</ref> Tennessee is home to 340 species of birds, 325 [[freshwater fish]] species, 89 mammals, 77 amphibians, and 61 reptiles.<ref name=climatechange/>

Forests cover about 52% of Tennessee's land area, with [[Oak–hickory forest|oak–hickory]] the dominant type.{{sfn|Slayton|Johnson|Greene|Hill|2020|p=3}} [[Appalachian–Blue Ridge forests#Dry oak–pine forests|Appalachian oak–pine]] and [[Cove (Appalachian Mountains)#Cove forest|cove hardwood]] forests are found in the Blue Ridge Mountains and Cumberland Plateau, and [[bottomland hardwood forest|bottomland hardwood]] forests are common throughout the Gulf Coastal Plain.<ref name=ut95/> [[Pine]] forests are also found throughout the state.<ref name=ut95>{{cite report|last1=Hopper|first1=George M.|last2=Applegate|first2=Hart|last3=Dale|first3=Greg|last4=Winslow|first4=Richard|date=February 1995|title=Forest Practice Guidelines for Tennessee|url=https://extension.tennessee.edu/publications/Documents/pb1523.pdf|publisher=University of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service|access-date=May 14, 2021|archive-date=May 14, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210514194840/https://extension.tennessee.edu/publications/Documents/pb1523.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> The [[Southern Appalachian spruce–fir forest]] in the highest elevations of the Blue Ridge Mountains is considered the second-most endangered ecosystem in the country.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Moore |first=Molly |date=June 11, 2012 |title=Last Stand for the Southern Spruce-Fir? |journal=The Appalachian Voice |publisher=[[Appalachian Voices]] |location=Boone, North Carolina |volume= 2012 |issue=3 |url=https://appvoices.org/2012/06/11/last-stand-for-the-southern-spruce-fir/ |access-date=July 3, 2021}}</ref> Some of the last remaining large [[American chestnut]] trees grow in the Nashville Basin and are being used to help breed [[blight]]-resistant trees.<ref>{{cite web |title=Tennessee Chestnut Project |url=https://www.tectn.org/americanchestnutproject.html |author=<!--Not stated--> |website=tectn.org |publisher=Tennessee Environmental Council |access-date=May 25, 2021}}</ref> Middle Tennessee is home to many unusual and rare ecosystems known as [[Calcareous glade|cedar glades]], which occur in areas with shallow limestone bedrock that is largely barren of overlying soil and contain many endemic plant species.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Quarterman |first1=Elsie |author1-link=Elsie Quarterman |title=Ecology of Cedar Glades. I. Distribution of Glade Flora in Tennessee |journal=Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club |date=January 1950 |volume=77 |issue=1 |pages=1–9 |doi=10.2307/2482376 |jstor=2482376 |publisher=Torrey Botanical Society |location=New York}}</ref>

Common mammals found throughout Tennessee include [[white-tailed deer]], [[red fox|red]] and [[gray fox]]es, [[coyote]]s, [[raccoon]]s, [[opossum]]s, [[wild turkey]]s, [[rabbit]]s, and [[squirrel]]s. [[American black bear|Black bear]]s are found in the Blue Ridge Mountains and on the Cumberland Plateau. Tennessee has the third-highest number of amphibian species, with the Great Smoky Mountains home to the most [[salamander]] species in the world.<ref>{{cite web |title=Amphibians |url=https://www.nps.gov/grsm/learn/nature/amphibians.htm# |website=Great Smoky Mountains National Park |publisher=National Park Service |access-date=May 14, 2021}}</ref> The state ranks second in the nation for the diversity of its freshwater fish species.<ref name=natureserve>{{cite report |last1=Stein|first1=Bruce A.|date=April 2002 |title=States of the Union: Ranking America's Biodiversity |url=https://www.natureserve.org/sites/default/files/publications/files/stateofunions.pdf |publisher=[[NatureServe]] |access-date=May 14, 2021}}</ref>

===Climate===
{{see also|Climate change in Tennessee}}
[[File:Köppen Climate Types Tennessee.png|alt=refer to caption|thumb|upright=1.35|[[Köppen climate classification|Köppen climate types]] of Tennessee, using 1991–2020 [[Climatological normal|climate normals]].]]

Most of Tennessee has a [[humid subtropical climate]], with the exception of some of the higher elevations in the Appalachians, which are classified as a cooler [[oceanic climate|mountain temperate]] or [[humid continental climate]].<ref name=Climate>{{cite web |title=World Map of Köppen−Geiger Climate Classification |url=http://koeppen-geiger.vu-wien.ac.at/pdf/kottek_et_al_2006_A1.pdf |access-date=December 19, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090114202025/http://koeppen-geiger.vu-wien.ac.at/pdf/kottek_et_al_2006_A1.pdf |archive-date=January 14, 2009}}</ref> The [[Gulf of Mexico]] is the dominant factor in Tennessee's climate, with winds from the south responsible for most of the state's annual precipitation. Generally, the state has hot summers and mild to cool winters with generous precipitation throughout the year. The highest average monthly precipitation usually occurs between December and April. The driest months, on average, are August to October. The state receives an average of {{convert|50|in|cm}} of precipitation annually. Snowfall ranges from {{convert|5|in|cm}} in West Tennessee to over {{convert|80|in|cm}} in East Tennessee's highest mountains.<ref name="Tennessee Agriculture">{{cite web |url=http://www.agclassroom.org/kids/stats/tennessee.pdf |title=A look at Tennessee Agriculture |publisher=Agclassroom.org |access-date=November 1, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160614025708/http://www.agclassroom.org/kids/stats/tennessee.pdf |archive-date=June 14, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://weather.com/safety/winter/news/snowiest-places-most-snow |title=The Snowiest Places in Each State |publisher=The Weather Channel |first=Nick |last=Wiltgen |date=October 27, 2016 |access-date=July 2, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190604025229/https://weather.com/safety/winter/news/snowiest-places-most-snow |archive-date=June 4, 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Summers are generally hot and humid, with most of the state averaging a high of around {{convert|90|F|C|0}}. Winters tend to be mild to cool, decreasing in temperature at higher elevations. For areas outside the highest mountains, the average overnight lows are generally near freezing. The highest recorded temperature was {{convert|113|F|C}} at [[Perryville, Tennessee|Perryville]] on August 9, 1930, while the lowest recorded temperature was {{convert|-32|F|C}} at [[Mountain City, Tennessee|Mountain City]] on December 30, 1917.<ref>{{cite web |title=Nashville Weather Records (1871-Present) |url=https://www.weather.gov/ohx/otherrecords |website=weather.gov |publisher=National Weather Service |access-date=May 27, 2021 |location=Nashville}}</ref>

While Tennessee is far enough from the coast to avoid any direct impact from a hurricane, its location makes it susceptible to the remnants of tropical [[cyclone]]s, which weaken over land and can cause significant rainfall.{{Tropical Cyclone Rainfall in the Southeastern United States}} The state annually averages about 50 days of thunderstorms, which can be severe with large hail and damaging winds.<ref name="Thunderstorm Hazard">{{cite web |url=http://www.srh.noaa.gov/key/HTML/tstmhazards.htm |title=U.S. Thunderstorm distribution |publisher=src.noaa.gov |access-date=November 1, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061015060809/http://www.srh.noaa.gov/key/HTML/tstmhazards.htm<!--Bot retrieved archive--> |archive-date=October 15, 2006}}</ref> Tornadoes are possible throughout the state, with West and Middle Tennessee the most vulnerable. The state averages 15 tornadoes annually.<ref name="Annual Average Number of Tornadoes">{{cite web |url=http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/img/climate/research/tornado/small/avgt5304.gif |title=Mean Annual Average Number of Tornadoes 1953–2004 |publisher=ncdc.noaa.gov |access-date=November 1, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111016174155/http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/img/climate/research/tornado/small/avgt5304.gif |archive-date=October 16, 2011 |url-status=live}}</ref> They can be severe, and the state leads the nation in the percentage of total tornadoes that have fatalities.<ref name="Tornado Top 10 Lists">{{cite web |url=http://www.tornadoproject.com/toptens/topten1.htm |title=Top ten list |publisher=tornadoproject.com |access-date=November 1, 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120204033709/http://www.tornadoproject.com/toptens/topten1.htm |archive-date=February 4, 2012}}</ref> Winter storms such as in [[1993 Storm of the Century|1993]] and [[February 13–17, 2021 North American winter storm|2021]] occur occasionally, and [[ice storm]]s are fairly common. Fog is a persistent problem in some areas, especially in East Tennessee.<ref>{{cite book |last = Speaks |first = Dewaine A. |author-link = |date = August 5, 2019 |title = Historic Disasters of East Tennessee |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=j2ijDwAAQBAJ |location = Mount Pleasant, South Carolina |publisher = Arcadia Publishing |pages = 17–23 |isbn = 9781467141895 |via = Google Books}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" "text-align:center;font-size:90%;"|
| colspan="13" style="text-align:center;font-size:120%;background:#E8EAFA;"|Monthly Normal High and Low Temperatures For Various Tennessee Cities (F)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.weather.com/ |title=National and Local Weather Forecast, Hurricane, Radar and Report |publisher=Weather.com |access-date=July 31, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070323015551/http://www.weather.com/ |archive-date=March 23, 2007 |url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
!  style="background:#e5afaa; height:17px;"| City
! style="background:#e5afaa;"| Jan
! style="background:#e5afaa;"| Feb
! style="background:#e5afaa;"| Mar
! style="background:#e5afaa;"| Apr
! style="background:#e5afaa;"| May
! style="background:#e5afaa;"| Jun
! style="background:#e5afaa;"| Jul
! style="background:#e5afaa;"| Aug
! style="background:#e5afaa;"| Sep
! style="background:#e5afaa;"| Oct
! style="background:#e5afaa;"| Nov
! style="background:#e5afaa;"| Dec
|-
!  style="background:#c5dfe1; height:16px;"| Bristol
| style="background:#c5dfe1;"| 44/25
| style="background:#c5dfe1;"| 49/27
| style="background:#c5dfe1;"| 57/34
| style="background:#c5dfe1;"| 66/41
| style="background:#c5dfe1;"| 74/51
| style="background:#c5dfe1;"| 81/60
| style="background:#c5dfe1;"| 85/64
| style="background:#c5dfe1;"| 84/62
| style="background:#c5dfe1;"| 79/56
| style="background:#c5dfe1;"| 68/43
| style="background:#c5dfe1;"| 58/35
| style="background:#c5dfe1;"| 48/27
|-
!  style="background:#f8f3ca; height:16px;"| Chattanooga
| style="background:#f8f3ca;"| 50/31
| style="background:#f8f3ca;"| 54/33
| style="background:#f8f3ca;"| 63/40
| style="background:#f8f3ca;"| 72/47
| style="background:#f8f3ca;"| 79/56
| style="background:#f8f3ca;"| 86/65
| style="background:#f8f3ca;"| 90/69
| style="background:#f8f3ca;"| 89/68
| style="background:#f8f3ca;"| 82/62
| style="background:#f8f3ca;"| 72/48
| style="background:#f8f3ca;"| 61/40
| style="background:#f8f3ca;"| 52/33
|-
!  style="background:#c5dfe1; color:#000; height:16px;"| Knoxville
| style="background:#c5dfe1;"| 47/30
| style="background:#c5dfe1;"| 52/33
| style="background:#c5dfe1;"| 61/40
| style="background:#c5dfe1;"| 71/48
| style="background:#c5dfe1;"| 78/57
| style="background:#c5dfe1;"| 85/65
| style="background:#c5dfe1;"| 88/69
| style="background:#c5dfe1;"| 87/68
| style="background:#c5dfe1;"| 81/62
| style="background:#c5dfe1;"| 71/50
| style="background:#c5dfe1;"| 60/41
| style="background:#c5dfe1;"| 50/34
|-
!  style="background:#f8f3ca; color:#000; height:16px;"| Memphis
| style="background:#f8f3ca;"| 50/31
| style="background:#f8f3ca;"| 55/36
| style="background:#f8f3ca;"| 63/44
| style="background:#f8f3ca;"| 72/52
| style="background:#f8f3ca;"| 80/61
| style="background:#f8f3ca;"| 89/69
| style="background:#f8f3ca;"| 92/73
| style="background:#f8f3ca;"| 92/72
| style="background:#f8f3ca;"| 86/65
| style="background:#f8f3ca;"| 75/52
| style="background:#f8f3ca;"| 62/43
| style="background:#f8f3ca;"| 52/34
|-
!  style="background:#c5dfe1; height:16px;"| Nashville
| style="background:#c5dfe1;"| 47/28
| style="background:#c5dfe1;"| 52/31
| style="background:#c5dfe1;"| 61/39
| style="background:#c5dfe1;"| 70/47
| style="background:#c5dfe1;"| 78/57
| style="background:#c5dfe1;"| 85/65
| style="background:#c5dfe1;"| 89/70
| style="background:#c5dfe1;"| 89/69
| style="background:#c5dfe1;"| 82/61
| style="background:#c5dfe1;"| 71/49
| style="background:#c5dfe1;"| 59/40
| style="background:#c5dfe1;"| 49/32
|}