CHAPARRAL A Spanish word meaning : “a thicket of low, shrubby, evergreen oaks”

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 Features:

Climate: Hot and dry Mild winters Rains during end of summer Fires and droughts are common Mild average temperature

Seasonal Information and Tourism 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 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

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 al.htm

Duncan Koontz, Scott Montague, Naomi Tran