CHAPARRAL HABITAT

Rufous-crowned Sparrow	Orange-throated Whiptail Lizard	California Quail

Chaparral is the dominant habitat found in the mountains of Southern California. Steep hillsides with poor, thin soil cannot support larger plants, but Chaparral can grow here. The plants must be able to tolerate long periods without rain, in dry soil, with baking sun. Most are evergreen, since they do most of their growth in the cool moist season. This vegetation is often called sclerophyllous, since the leaves are often small, hard, with waxy coatings or epidermal hairs. These help reduce water loss, and may also reduce temperature. They often have two root systems; shallow roots for catching water when it falls as rain, and tap roots. Some Chaparral plants are allelopathic, producing toxins which inhibit plant growth near them.

This habitat is fire-adapted, promotes fire, and requires fire to persist. Plants in the Chaparral either are resprouters (sprouting back from the surviving roots) or reseeders (requiring fire to promote germination of the seeds). Without fire, chaparral plants age and die, and often are not replaced. Some species of plants are "fire followers," with seeds that lie dormant for many years and then sprouting after burns.

Characteristic plants: Chamise, Toyon, Coffeeberry, Sugar Bush, Laurel Sumac, Poison Oak, Yucca, California Buckwheat, Black Sage, Holly-leaf Cherry, Scrub Oak, and many species of Ceanothus (California lilac).

Characteristic animals: Wrentit, Bewick Wren, California Towhee, Scrub Jay, California Thrasher, Bushtit, Plain Titmouse, Red-tailed Hawk, Great Horned Owl, Coyote, Mountain Lion, Bobcat, Raccoon,Striped Skunk, Gray Fox, Ringtail, Western Gray Squirrel, Dusky-footed Wood Rat, California Mouse, Deer Mouse, Kingsnake, Pacific Diamondback, Racer, Western Fence Lizard, and Side-blotched Lizard.

Animals of special interest: California Gnatcatcher, Turkey Vulture, Rufous-crowned Sparrow, Orange-throated Whiptail Lizard.