Introduction To California Chaparral

by Quinn, Ronald D.

• ISBN13: 9780520245662
• ISBN10: 0520245660
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-09-20
• Publisher: Univ of California Pr

Summary

The characteristic look of California Chaparral--a soft bluish-green blanket of vegetation gently covering the hills--is known to millions who have seen it as the backdrop in movies and television productions. This complex ecological community of plants and animals is not just a feature of the hills around Hollywood, but is a quintessential part of the entire California landscape. It is a highly resilient community adapted to life with recurring fires and droughts. Written for a wide audience, this concise, engaging, and beautifully illustrated book describes an ancient and exquisitely balanced environment home to wondrous organisms: Fire Beetles that mate only on burning branches, lizards that shoot blood from their eyes when threatened, Kangaroo Rats that never drink water, and seeds that germinate only after a fire, even if that means waiting in the soil for a 100 years or more. Useful both as a field guide and an introductory overview of the ecology of chaparral, it also provides a better understanding of how we might live in harmony, safety, and appreciation of this unique ecological community. Identifies chaparral's common plants, animals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and insects Features 79 color illustrations, 56 black-and-white photographs, and 3 maps Examines the role of humans and fire in chaparral, covering the placement and design of homes, landscaping, and public policy

Table of Contents

Preface	p. xi
Acknowledgments	p. xiii
The California Chaparral	p. 1
Fire and Chaparral	p. 7
Where Is Chaparral Found?	p. 10
Chaparral Is Found with Other Vegetation Types	p. 11
Coastal Sage Scrub Is Not Chaparral	p. 16
How Organisms Are Named	p. 17
Mediterranean Climate	p. 21
The Pacific High	p. 22
Rainfall-Always Unpredictable	p. 23
Winds That Carry Water or Take It Away	p. 26
Temperature	p. 31
Microclimates	p. 32
Convergence	p. 35
Rain Beetles Mate Only When There Is Rain	p. 39
Fire	p. 43
The Fire Cycle	p. 45
The Fire Regime	p. 54
Sources of Ignition	p. 61
Aboriginal Burning	p. 62
Nineteenth-Century Fire	p. 64
Fire Patterns in the Twentieth Century	p. 66
Modern Fires	p. 68
Natural Responses of Plants and Animals to Fire	p. 70
Plants	p. 75
An Evergreen, Shrubby Vegetation	p. 77
Common Shrubs and Shrub Families	p. 80
The Rose Family (Roseaceae)	p. 81
The Buckthorn Family (Rhamnaceae)	p. 90
The Heath Family (Ericaceae)	p. 102
The Oak Family (Fagaceae)	p. 114
The Sumac Family (Anacardiaceae)	p. 120
Other Chaparral Shrubs	p. 127
Conifers: Cypresses, Pines, and Bigcone Douglas Fir	p. 132
Common Herb and Subshrub Families	p. 135
The Waterleaf Family (Hydrophyllaceae)	p. 137
The Poppy Family (Papaveraceae)	p. 141
The Lily Family (Liliaceae)	p. 145
The Legume Family (Fabaceae)	p. 150
The Snapdragon or Figwort Family (Scrophulariaceae)	p. 155
Other Chaparral Herbs and Subshrubs	p. 161
Introduced Weeds	p. 167
Animals	p. 169
Mammals	p. 172
Rodents (Order Rodentia)	p. 172
Rabbits and Hares (Order Lagomorpha)	p. 189
Deer and Bighorn Sheep (Order Artiodactyla)	p. 190
Carnivorous Mammals (Order Carnivora)	p. 194
Birds	p. 201
Perching Birds (Order Passeriformes)	p. 202
Hawks (Order Falconiformes)	p. 212
Owls (Order Strigiformes)	p. 215
Reptiles	p. 215
Snakes (Order Squamata, Suborder Serpentes)	p. 216
Lizards (Order Squamata, Suborder Lacertilia)	p. 222
Amphibians	p. 229
Insects and Arachnids	p. 231
Insects (Class Insecta)	p. 232
Trap Door Spiders, Ticks, and Scorpions (Class Arachnida)	p. 243
Other Chaparral Insects	p. 246
Living with the Chaparral	p. 251
Prescribed Fire	p. 254
Fuel Reduction and Fuel Breaks	p. 258
Artificial Seeding of Burns	p. 260
Fire Creates Its Own Weather	p. 262
Geographic Risk	p. 264
Floods	p. 266
Threats to Chaparral	p. 276
Options for Wise Growth	p. 279
The Value of Chaparral	p. 288
Glossary	p. 293
Supplemental Readings and References	p. 299
Art Credits	p. 303
Index	p. 305
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