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A Spanish word meaning : “a thicket of low, shrubby, evergreen oaks”. Chaparral. Features :. Dry and rocky Lots of low brush Substantial amount of drought tolerant plants Plants with evergreen leaves Dense thickets Lots of small animals such as rodents and reptiles
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A Spanish word meaning : “a thicket of low, shrubby, evergreen oaks” Chaparral
Features: • Dry and rocky • Lots of low brush • Substantial amount of drought tolerant plants • Plants with evergreen leaves • Dense thickets • Lots of small animals such as rodents and reptiles • Thin soil covering very low in nutrients and moisture
Climate: • Hot and dry • Mild winters • Rains during end of summer • Fires and droughts are common • Mild average temperature
Seasonal Information and Tourism • Come to Fire Mountain Ranch! • Enjoy long walks on the coast • horse back riding in the stunning rolling hills • Comfortable Temperpedic beds in the lodge • warm fireplaces in every room • Gorgeous views of the flaming mountains • Visit during end of spring and end of summer for ideal temperature and post rainy season bloom • In order to view the most diversity of wildlife visit during the bloom season when the creatures will be most active • Visit during the winter ideal view of the scenery
Unique Features • California's most extensive native plant community • Extensive seasonal fires • A substantial variation is seasonal temperature • Key habitat for unique lichen and fungi • Provides protection against erosion for surrounding habitats
Flora & Fauna: • Plants: • Types: chemise, poison oak, scrub oak, toyon, Yucca, other trees, shrubs, cacti • Most plants have large, hard leaves to retain moisture • Root systems designed to absorb as much water as possible • Shallow roots extend under surface of soil in horizontal patterns to catch rain as it falls • Taproots extend into soil to get groundwater
Flora & Fauna: • Animals: • Types: coyotes, jack rabbits, alligator lizards, mule deer, kangaroo rat, praying mantis, toads, honey bees, lady bugs, etc. • Animals in the chaparral do not need to consume much water • The kangaroo rat neither sweats nor pants, produces little urine, and has lots of hairs in its nasal passages to prevent moisture from escaping when breathing
Environmental Issues: Because of the chaparral’s characteristically pleasant weather, more and more people have started to move into chaparral areas, contributing man-made causes, like thrown-out cigarette buts, to a biome already at risk for frequent fires.
Sources • http://polyland.calpoly.edu/overview/archives/derome/chaparral.html • http://www.nps.gov/pore/parkmgmt/firemanagement_fireecology_vegtypes_chaparral.htm • http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/chaparral.htm