This plateau is located in north-central Mexico and is surrounded by the Sierra Madre Oriental Mountains in the east, the Sierra Madre Occidentals in the west, and the Trans-volcanic Belt in the south. Desert plains dominate the landscape, with a few hills and mountains that rise up to 7,800 feet (2400 m) above sea level. The climate is dry and hot, with rainfall below 20 inches (50 cm) per year. The matorral scrub vegetation community grows in a soil of sedimentary and volcanic origin. Plant species vary with the soil type, temperature, and location. Dominant plant species throughout the ecoregion are several species of yucca and creosote bush. In Zacatecas and San Luis Potosí, agaves are also common. Hawks and falcons can be seen flying overhead and yellow-faced pocket gophers like to tunnel beneath the desert surface.
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