Location
The Chaparral biome is usually located near cool bodies of water. Locations include: California, Spain, and Southern Austrailia
Climate
The Chaparral biome has a a relatively cool climate. This cool climate is due to the land being near a large body of cool water, which regulates the air in the surrounding area. It also has little, but still enough, precipitation.
Biotic Factors
Native Species
Species Name: Quercus douglasii
Common Name: Californis Blue Oak
Description: "The blue oak is native to the state of California on the western coast of North America. In its natural habitat it grows in the valleys and lower slopes of the Coast Ranges, the lower western foothills of the Sierra Nevada, and the north slope of the San Gabriel Mountains. Blue oak covers about 3 million acres and is one of the largest ancient forest type in California. The Scottish biologist David Douglas first named the blue oak in 1831 for the bluish color of its leaves. The habitat of blue oaks is open savanna to open woodlands with shrubby understories. At lower elevation it merges with annual grasslands, and at higher elevations it blends with chaparral, pinyon and juniper woodlands." [24]
Common Name: Californis Blue Oak
Description: "The blue oak is native to the state of California on the western coast of North America. In its natural habitat it grows in the valleys and lower slopes of the Coast Ranges, the lower western foothills of the Sierra Nevada, and the north slope of the San Gabriel Mountains. Blue oak covers about 3 million acres and is one of the largest ancient forest type in California. The Scottish biologist David Douglas first named the blue oak in 1831 for the bluish color of its leaves. The habitat of blue oaks is open savanna to open woodlands with shrubby understories. At lower elevation it merges with annual grasslands, and at higher elevations it blends with chaparral, pinyon and juniper woodlands." [24]
Species Name: Cytisus monspessulanus
Common Name: French Broom
Description: "French broom is found in the Pacific Northwest and Northern Canada on the American continent. It is native to the Mediterranean region and Azores Islands. It probably got its name because of the way the branches grow. They were actually cut and made into brooms at one time. In many places it is considered a weed. It spreads quickly and grows in dense stands that crowd out native plants. French broom is also used as erosion control on dunes, and along highways in the mid 1900's. Soon they escaped gardens and highways and invaded their environment. French broom is considered to be the most aggressive of the Brooms. A bushy plant, French broom can grow 5 to 8 feet tall, and has many twisted, single, green branches on it. The branches look almost bare because the leaves are very small, only about 1/2 of an inch." [25]
Common Name: French Broom
Description: "French broom is found in the Pacific Northwest and Northern Canada on the American continent. It is native to the Mediterranean region and Azores Islands. It probably got its name because of the way the branches grow. They were actually cut and made into brooms at one time. In many places it is considered a weed. It spreads quickly and grows in dense stands that crowd out native plants. French broom is also used as erosion control on dunes, and along highways in the mid 1900's. Soon they escaped gardens and highways and invaded their environment. French broom is considered to be the most aggressive of the Brooms. A bushy plant, French broom can grow 5 to 8 feet tall, and has many twisted, single, green branches on it. The branches look almost bare because the leaves are very small, only about 1/2 of an inch." [25]
Specific Name: Camphylorhynchus brunneicapillus
Common Name: Cactus Wren
Description: "The Cactus Wren lives in the arid and semi-arid deserts of southwestern United States and the chaparral of southern California and northern Mexico. The Cactus Wren is usually found below 4,000 feet. At 7-9 inches (18-22 cm) long, the Cactus Wren is the largest wren in the United States. Both sexes look alike. Both are brown and have a white stripe running over each eye. Their throats are white, and their beaks are dark, long and slightly curved. White and black streaks cover their backs. Their belly and sides are white to buff with dense spotting on the breast." [26]
Common Name: Cactus Wren
Description: "The Cactus Wren lives in the arid and semi-arid deserts of southwestern United States and the chaparral of southern California and northern Mexico. The Cactus Wren is usually found below 4,000 feet. At 7-9 inches (18-22 cm) long, the Cactus Wren is the largest wren in the United States. Both sexes look alike. Both are brown and have a white stripe running over each eye. Their throats are white, and their beaks are dark, long and slightly curved. White and black streaks cover their backs. Their belly and sides are white to buff with dense spotting on the breast." [26]
Species Name: Urocyon cinereoargenteus
Common Name: Grey Fox
Description: "The grey fox can be found from Ontario, Canada, throughout the central and southwestern United States down to Venezuela. It also lives in the chaparral of California and Mexico. It prefers wooded and brushy areas of the southwestern, central and eastern United States where most of the rainfall is in the winter, while the summers are hot and dry. It is not found in the Rocky Mountains, the Great Plains or eastern central America. It disappeared from Canada in the late 17th century, but lately they have been found in southern Ontario, Manitoba and Quebec. The grey fox looks a lot like a small dog with a bushy tail. The fox's back is whitish-grey in color. The sides of its neck, the base of its tail, back and legs, and the underside of its tail are bright rusty-red. " [27] It says ring-ding ding ding ding gering
Common Name: Grey Fox
Description: "The grey fox can be found from Ontario, Canada, throughout the central and southwestern United States down to Venezuela. It also lives in the chaparral of California and Mexico. It prefers wooded and brushy areas of the southwestern, central and eastern United States where most of the rainfall is in the winter, while the summers are hot and dry. It is not found in the Rocky Mountains, the Great Plains or eastern central America. It disappeared from Canada in the late 17th century, but lately they have been found in southern Ontario, Manitoba and Quebec. The grey fox looks a lot like a small dog with a bushy tail. The fox's back is whitish-grey in color. The sides of its neck, the base of its tail, back and legs, and the underside of its tail are bright rusty-red. " [27] It says ring-ding ding ding ding gering
Invasive Species
Species Name: Albizia julibrissin3
Common Name: Persian Silk Tree
Description: "The Persian Silk Tree is a small deciduous tree growing to 5–12 m tall, with a broad crown of level or arching branches. The bark is dark greenish grey in color and striped vertically as it gets older. The leaves are bi-pinnate, 20–45 cm long and 12–25 cm broad, divided into 6–12 pairs of pinnae, each with 20–30 pairs of leaflets; the leaflets are oblong, 1–1.5 cm long and 2–4 mm broad. The flowers are produced throughout the summer in dense inflorescences, the individual flowers with small calyx and corola (except the central ones), and a tight cluster of stamens 2–3 cm long, white or pink with a white base, looking like silky threads. They have been observed to be attractive to bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. The fruit is a flat brown pod 10–20 cm long and 2–2.5 cm broad, containing several seeds inside." [28]
Common Name: Persian Silk Tree
Description: "The Persian Silk Tree is a small deciduous tree growing to 5–12 m tall, with a broad crown of level or arching branches. The bark is dark greenish grey in color and striped vertically as it gets older. The leaves are bi-pinnate, 20–45 cm long and 12–25 cm broad, divided into 6–12 pairs of pinnae, each with 20–30 pairs of leaflets; the leaflets are oblong, 1–1.5 cm long and 2–4 mm broad. The flowers are produced throughout the summer in dense inflorescences, the individual flowers with small calyx and corola (except the central ones), and a tight cluster of stamens 2–3 cm long, white or pink with a white base, looking like silky threads. They have been observed to be attractive to bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. The fruit is a flat brown pod 10–20 cm long and 2–2.5 cm broad, containing several seeds inside." [28]
Species Name: Anoplolepis gracilipes
Common Name: Yellow Crazy Ant
Description: "Anoplolepis gracilipes, known most commonly as the yellow crazy ant (YCA), is a relatively large, yellow to orange colored ant with long legs, large eyes and extremely long antennal scapes. The yellow crazy ant, is considered to be among the top 100 most destructive invasive species in the world. Its native range is unclear, although it is thought to have possibly come from West Africa. This species has spread to many other localities and is now found in Hawaii. This species has not yet been found in the continental United States, but it is one that is being closely monitored for. When introduced to new ecosystems, it sometimes causes serious problems with devastating consequences. In some localities this species forms super colonies with multiple queens. " [10]
Common Name: Yellow Crazy Ant
Description: "Anoplolepis gracilipes, known most commonly as the yellow crazy ant (YCA), is a relatively large, yellow to orange colored ant with long legs, large eyes and extremely long antennal scapes. The yellow crazy ant, is considered to be among the top 100 most destructive invasive species in the world. Its native range is unclear, although it is thought to have possibly come from West Africa. This species has spread to many other localities and is now found in Hawaii. This species has not yet been found in the continental United States, but it is one that is being closely monitored for. When introduced to new ecosystems, it sometimes causes serious problems with devastating consequences. In some localities this species forms super colonies with multiple queens. " [10]
Abiotic Factors
Average Yearly Precipitation: 10 to 17 inches
Average Yearly Range of Temperatures: 10 C to 40 C
Primary Soil Type: Rocky and Nutrient Poor
Average Altitude: 2000-2500 meters above ground level
Average Latitude: 25 o S to 25 o N
Average Yearly Range of Temperatures: 10 C to 40 C
Primary Soil Type: Rocky and Nutrient Poor
Average Altitude: 2000-2500 meters above ground level
Average Latitude: 25 o S to 25 o N
Human Interactions
Human do occupy these areas and thus should attempt to acknowledge the importance of having to preserve this biome. To preserve this biome humans have to reduce pollution and unnecessary consumption of resources. This biome is well suited for humans to live because the climate permits us to do so.