Methods
Study area
This study was conducted in east-central Illinois (40.0° N, 88.2° W), an
area of approximately 13,100km2 characterized by flat
terrain (elevation range 45–93m) and expansive agriculture (85.1% of
land cover, NLCD 2016, Fig. 1). Most crops grown in this region are
soybeans and corn — the two most valuable crops in the USA, with
Illinois being the second largest producer of corn nationally (USDA
WASDE; USDA, NASS, Crop Production 2021 Summary). Several riparian
corridors intersect the landscape (3.3% of land cover; Fig. 1).