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Montane Coniferous

Montane Coniferous. Sierra Nevada. 3500+ Native species More than 50% of California plant diversity Plant communities influenced by Elevation Latitude Rain-shadow Slope. Elevation. Latitude influences temperature & moisture regimes. 300 miles equiv to 1000’.

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Montane Coniferous

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  1. Montane Coniferous

  2. Sierra Nevada • 3500+ Native species • More than 50% of California plant diversity • Plant communities influenced by • Elevation • Latitude • Rain-shadow • Slope

  3. Elevation

  4. Latitude influences temperature & moisture regimes 300 miles equiv to 1000’

  5. Rainshadow results in drier conditions

  6. Slope Effect

  7. Elevation keyed sequence forests

  8. Chaparral

  9. Chaparral • Rocky nutrient poor soils • Mediterranean climate • Hot & dry summers, mild wet winters • Less than • Fire • Drought resistant shrubs predominate • Microphyllous • Sclerophyllous • Shallow roots & tap roots • Resinous plants • Reduce evapotranspiration • Fewer stomata

  10. Biodiversity Hotspot

  11. Sclerophyllous • “Hard Leaved” • Waxy coating • Thicker cell layers • Recessed stomata

  12. Scrub Oak

  13. Toyon

  14. Sticky Monkey Flower

  15. Ceanothus

  16. Manzanita

  17. Yerba Santa

  18. Microphyllous • Small leaves • Leaf orientation

  19. Chamise

  20. Fire • One of most fire- prone plant communities in North America • Frequent (10-100 yrs) • Recover quickly • Resins, alcohols, flammable oils • Many species fast recovery from fire • Many species adapted for fire recovery

  21. Fire Recovery

  22. Fire • Re-sprouters • Underground structures as roots & tubers to regrow • Re-seeders • Seeds stimulated by fire • Scarification of seeds from heat or fire to germinate • Ex. annuals

  23. Manzanita Burl

  24. Chamise Stump Sprout

  25. Toyon

  26. Scrub Oak • Some species require 30+ years

  27. Poison Oak • Underground rhizome

  28. Underground Tuber

  29. Ceanothus Seeds need heat shock to germinate

  30. Chamise Seeds need some factor in smoke to stimulate seed germination

  31. Many annuals follow fire Whispering Bells require Charcoal in soil Snapdragons

  32. Elevation keyed sequence forests

  33. Foothill Woodland

  34. Conifer Zones • Mixed coniferous forest • Red fir forest • Lodgepole pine forest • Subalpine forest • Alpine forest

  35. Mixed Coniferous Forest • Coulter pine forest • Ponderosa pine forest • Jeffrey pine forest • Mixed conifer forest • Giant Sequoia forest • White fir forest

  36. Ponderosa pine forest • Pinus ponderosa • Dominant tree of western North America • Grows in almost pure stands • Lower & middle elevation forest • 2,000-7,000 ft • Warm xeric conditions • ~40” per year • Above foothill woodland or chaparral

  37. Jeffery Pine Pinus jeffreyi

  38. Jeffery Pine

  39. Mmmm… Vanilla-ey

  40. Jeffery Pine Pinus jeffreyi • Typically found at higher elevations than Ponderosa pine • Rockier & drier soils • More cold adapted

  41. Associated Species • Black oak Quercus kelloggii • Incense Cedar Calocedrus decurrens • Douglas Fir Pseudotsuga menziesii • Sugar Pine Pinus lambertiana • White Fir Abies concolor • Often chaparral understory

  42. Black Oak

  43. Incense Cedar Calocedrus decurrens

  44. Douglas Fir Pseudotsuga menziesii

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