California biomes
What is a Biome?
A biome is a large naturally occurring community of flora and fauna occupying a major habitat, e.g., forest or tundra. Biomes are defined by abiotic factors such as climate, geology, soils, and vegetation; not the animals they contain. The five major biomes found in the world are : desert biomes, grassland and chaparral biomes, forest biomes, mountain biomes, and aquatic biomes. The biomes in California ranges from: chaparral, temperate coniferous forests, mountains, and desert. A chaparral biome is defined by being very hot and dry, mild winters, and dry summers that may result in wildfires. Temperate coniferous forests are characterized by temperatures that average 50 degrees fahrenheit, even precipitation throughout the years, and fertile soil. Mountain biomes often overlap with other biomes, many mountains have characteristics of chaparral biomes, tundra biomes, and so forth. Desert biomes are recognizable by the minimal amount of precipitation they receive each year (about 30 cms), soils are abundant in nutrients, with little or no organic matter. |
Chaparral Biomes in CA
"Chaparral climate/ Mediterranean climate, or scrub climate, is a hot, dry, and mild climate in summer with rainy and cool winters. The summers are so hot that there are frequent fires and dry spells." (Blue Planet Biomes) Chaparral biomes are mostly in southern California and near the coast. Flora: manzanita and chamise shrubs, sage, red shank, mountain mahogany, Christmasberry, California scrub oak, and many different kinds of ceanothus are common in these areas. Fauna: Bewick's wren, California quail California striped racer snake, northern red diamond rattle snake, orange-throated whiptail lizard, pocket mouse, deer mouse, kangaroo rats, chipmunk, rabbit, fox, deer, coyote, lynx, and mountain lion. |
Temperate Coniferous Forest Biome in CA
California's infamous Redwood forests are found in T.C.F Biomes in Northern California. Unlike southern CA, the northern parts of CA actually have changes in season which also means that they have a higher amount of precipitation than the south. Temperate evergreen forests are common in the coastal areas of regions that have mild winters and heavy rainfall, or inland in drier climates or mountain areas. Can be found in Northern California. |
Grassland Biomes in CA
Grasslands are characterized as lands dominated by grasses rather than large shrubs or trees. In the Miocene and Pliocene Epochs, which spanned a period of about 25 million years, mountains rose in western North America and created a continental climate favorable to grasslands. Ancient forests declined and grasslands became widespread. |
Desert Biome in CA
A desert is a barren area of land where little precipitation occurs and consequently living conditions are hostile for plant and animal life. The lack of vegetation exposes the unprotected surface of the ground to the processes of denudation. About one third of the land surface of the world is arid or semi-arid. Deserts can be classified by the amount of precipitation that falls, by the temperature that prevails, by the causes of desertification or by their geographical location. |
Mountain Biomes in CA
Cismontane chaparral ("this side of the mountain") refers to the chaparral ecosystem in the Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub biome in California, growing on the western (and coastal) sides of large mountain range systems, such as the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada in the San Joaquin Valley foothills, western slopes of the Peninsular Ranges and California Coast Ranges, and south-southwest slopes of the Transverse Ranges in the Central Coast and Southern California regions.The complex ecology of chaparral habitats supports a very large number of animal species such as California thrasher (Toxostoma redivivum), California towhee (Pipilo crissalis), Spotted towhee (Pipilo maculatus), Western scrub jay (Aphelocoma californica) |