Chaparral – A Minor Biome

1. Chaparral – A Minor Biome Sample Project

2. Chaparral • Major Climate • Hot, dry summers (40ºC) and Cool (10 ºC), moist winters • 38-102 cm precipitation/year (mostly winter rain) • 2 main seasons

3. Chaparral • Geography • Southwestern US, Coastal Chile, Mediterranean Coast, Southern and Western Coastal Australia, and Southwestern South Africa • It is found in US (California) • Coastal

4. Chaparral • Producers • Scrub Oak • Chaparral Pea • Deerweed • Yucca

5. Chaparral - Producers • Scrub Oak • 1-2 meters tall • Found in Chaparral and other locations • Acorns can be irritating to skin http://www.calflora.org/cgi-bin/species_query

6. Chaparral– Producers • Chaparral Pea • Low Dense Thickets • Found on hills, slopes and in recently burned areas • One of few nitrogen-fixing plants in Chaparral http://www.calflora.org/cgi-bin/species_query

7. Chaparral - Producers • Deerweed • 1 meter mound shape • Commonly found in many areas of western North America including Chaparral • Attracts Butterflies http://www.calflora.org/cgi-bin/species_query

8. Chaparral - Producers • Yucca • Flower can reach 3 meters tall • Found in Southwestern US and Baja California, Mexico • Roots can be pounded into a paste and used as shampoo http://www.calflora.org/cgi-bin/species_query

9. Chaparral • Consumers • Blacktail Deer (herbivore) • Mouse (herbivore) • Kit Fox (omnivore) • Puma (carnivore)

10. Chaparral - Consumers • Blacktail Deer (herbivore) • 40-90kg (smallest of US deer species) • Populations are stable • Mating between Whitetail and Blacktail Deer resulted in the Mule Deer http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-tailed_Deer

11. Chaparral - Consumers • Cactus Mouse (herbivore) • 16-22cm from nose to tail • Found in many desert areas as well as Chaparral • Eats fruits and flowers of plants http://www.enature.com/flashcard/show_flash_card.asp?recordNumber=MA0179

12. Chaparral - Consumers • Kit Fox (omnivore) • About the size of a housecat • Not threatened • Nocturnal Animal http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kit_Fox

13. Chaparral - Consumers • Spotted Skunk (carnivore) • 35-55cm (smaller than the striped skunk) • No Concern – abundant population • Spray to avoid predation http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Spotted_Skunk

14. Chaparral • Decomposers • Actinomycetes • Millipede

15. Chaparral - Decomposers • Actinomycetes • Microscopic • Found in most soils • Fungi-like bacteria that form filaments in the soil http://www.the-compost-gardener.com/actinomycetes.html

16. Chaparral - Decomposers • Millipede • 10-13cm long • Found everywhere but the polar regions • Exudes foul tasting chemicals to avoid predation http://www.desertmuseum.org/books/nhsd_centipede.php

17. Chaparral– Food Chain/Web Striped Skunk Cactus Mouse Yucca Sun

18. Chaparral • Specific Example • Corsica (an island in the Mediterranean Sea) • Ecosystem is healthy, island has many protected areas • Often found in disturbed areas http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maquis_shrubland

19. Chaparral • Specific Example • Western Cape of South Africa • Threatened by the influx of invasive species • Fire is an important part in the reproduction of many plants in this location http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fynbos

20. Chaparral • Reasons to Visit • Fire Fighting • Herb Gathering • Rare Biome http://www.radford.edu/~swoodwar/CLASSES/GEOG235/biomes/medit/medit.html