Post on 15-Dec-2015
transcript
CHAPARRAL (a.k.a. Temperate Shrubland)
Olivia Gehrke
http://cpluhna.nau.edu/images/semiaridgrasslands92rw.jpg
• Typically found in coastal regions that are bordered by deserts
• Ex)• southern
California• Mediterranean
http://www.anselm.edu/homepage/jpitocch/genbi101/34_08TerrestrialBiomes-L%20copy.jpg
Overview•Abiotic• Rocky
• Lots of constant sunlight
• Many hills
•Biotic• Temperate shrubland
• Dense growths of• Low-growing evergreen shrubs• Small trees with leathery leaves (reduce
evaporation)
http://www.californiachaparral.org/images/555_PS-Chamise-RS-chaparral.jpg
Climate•Mild, moist, but doesn’t get a lot of precipitation•10-17 inches per year (mostly in winter)
•Summer=hot & dry
•Temperature usually mild but sometimes reaches hot/cold extremes•Average range: 30-70 degrees Fahrenheit
http://betterphoto.typepad.com/.a/6a00e5501d97a488330147e0f07ee8970b-800wi
Soil• Thin, rocky layer on top of subsoil
• Subsoil consists of clay or rock that holds moisture • Needs to hold moisture b/c summers in the chaparral can be very dry
• Plants use moisture in the soil due to the limited amount of precipitation
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wWY3RnqSbnU/S_TJlorkiDI/AAAAAAAAAFU/OKv8UzJEcq8/s1600/chaparral.JPG
Dominant Plants
• Blue oak
• Coyote brush
• Common sagebrush
• manzanita
http://www.igoterra.com/photo/999/012115.JPG
http://ucanr.edu/sites/scmg/files/30291display.jpg
Plant Adaptations• Chaparral biome is known for having
periodic fires, so some plant life has adapted to tolerate the fires.
• Some plants are fire resistant• Coyote brush leaves’ chemical make-up
prevents them from catching fire
• Plants have seeds that mostly sprout following a fire• Fire poppy
• Plants have to adapt to large variations in temperature• Blue oak can survive at 100 degrees
Fahrenheit for several weeks
http://www.laspilitas.com/images/grid24_24/3470/s/images/plants/304/Eschscholzia_californica-4.jpg
Dominant Animals
• Black-tailed jackrabbit
• Grey fox
• Wild goat
• Golden jackal
• Cactus wren
• Spotted skunk
http://www.tringa.org/images/9913500129_Black-tailed_Jackrabbit_10-20-2007_2.jpg
http://www.animalspot.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Golden-jackal.jpg
http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/images/ibex_bezoar.jpg http://www.nickdunlop.com/data/photos/381_1greyfox1.jpg
Animal Adaptations• Have to be able to cope with fires
• Cactus wren breed in shrubs freshly recovering from being burned• Learned to make use of scorched environment
after a fire
• Black-tailed jackrabbit• Able to withstand large variation in
temperature; regulates body heat by increasing/decreasing blood flow in their very large ears
• Feed only at night when it’s cooler• Digest food twice; eat their waste in order to
get moisture out of it
• Modified diet for times of limited food sources• Golden jackal adapted to eating some insects,
even though it’s not part of their normal day-to-day diet
http://www.saguaro-juniper.com/i_and_i/mammals/rabbitsNhares/Jackrabbit.jpg
Ecological Interactions
•Birds nest in low-lying, thick shrubs•Protective
•Jackal is predator so keeps rodent and bird population regulated
•Wild goat also prey of jackal
http://www.lbah.com/images/RwandaTanzania2011/Serengeti/JackalGazelle-25.jpg
Human Impact & Problems• Humans build houses in
chaparral• Dangerous for humans because
of the risk of mudslides and fires• Also take measures to prevent
fires, which some chaparral organisms need to reproduce
• Though some organisms need fire, most don’t, so careless human behavior causing rapid, long-lasting fires can kill off a lot of non-fire-resistant organisms• Too much fire=depletion of
chaparral; native species killed; opportunity for invasive species to take over
http://www.biosbcc.net/b100plant/img/SW/FIRE02.JPG
Sources
• http://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-california/communities/chaparral
• http://blueplanetbiomes.org/chaparral_climate_page.htm
• http://californiachaparral.org/threatstochaparral.html