por He chaparral It is the characteristic plant formation of the Mediterranean climate of the North American southwest. It extends along the Pacific coast of the US from Oregon to California and penetrates inland through Arizona, New Mexico and Texas.
A part of the Californian chaparral extends from the California peninsula in the United States to the state of Baja California in Mexico. It is also distributed in New Mexico, Arizona to Sonora, Chihuahua and Coahuila in Mexico.
This plant formation is characterized by being a low forest or tall shrub between 5 or 6 m high with species adapted to the Mediterranean climate. Most of the species are highly branched, with small, hard, and rigid leaves (sclerophyllous).
Among the plant species typical of chaparral, those of the genera quercus (oaks and holm oaks) and Arctostaphylos (apples). Also, there are species of Adenostoma (shanties), ceanothus (California lilies), sage (Sage spp.) and chaparral bean (Pickeringia montana).
The fauna of the chaparral includes various mammals such as the coyote (canis latrans) and mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus). Also the bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis), the brush rabbit (sylvilagus bachmani) and the California mouse (Peromyscus californicus).
The Mexican chaparral has a plant structure and composition of flora and fauna species similar to that of the chaparral of the United States. In other parts of the world, Mediterranean vegetation similar to chaparral occurs, such as the Mediterranean forest (maquis), the Chilean scrub, the fynbos South African and the mallee Australian.
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Chaparral Characteristics
Location
Chaparral is the expression of the Mediterranean forest and shrub biome in North America, encompassing the US states of Oregon, California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas.
For its part, in Mexico it extends through the northwest of the California peninsula and in small areas of Sonora, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo León and Tamaulipas.
vegetation structure
It is an evergreen medium shrubland or low scrubby forest, with perennial woody plants 1–6 m tall. Its structure is uncomplicated with a fairly uniform low canopy and a second tier of small shrubs.
Then the lower level or understory does not have many grasses in mature areas. However, after the fires the presence of herbs and subshrubs increases.
dominant biotype
The dominant plants are tall shrubs or low trees with small, hard, leathery (leather-like) leaves. The little trees have a thick bark, are highly branched and keep the leaves of the previous year until the next ones sprout.
Therefore, the chaparral plants are never completely defoliated, as is the case in other formations in dry areas or with cold periods.
Relief
It develops both on plains and on hilly and mountainous terrain. It is located from 50 meters above sea level near the Pacific Ocean coast to 2,750 meters above sea level.
California chaparral is bounded by the Sonoran and Mojave deserts to the east and the Pacific coast to the west. In Oregon it is found on the western slopes of the Rocky Mountains.
Floor
It occurs in shallow to deep soils, generally of low fertility and high permeability. On steep slopes, the soils tend to be shallow and the chaparral plays a protective role by reducing erosion (loss of soil).
Flora
There are around 900 species of vascular plants, dominated by tall shrubs such as chamizo (Adenostoma fasciculatum) and California lilies (ceanothus spp.). In the same way, there are the so-called manzanitas (Arctostaphylos spp.) and California buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum).
Another plant association characteristic of this region is that of the white oak (Quercus dumosa), together with species of the genera prunus, rhamnus, lonicera, among others. some species of quercus are endemic to specific areas of the chaparral, such as Quercus durata which only grows in the California region (USA).
Among the subshrubs and small shrubs are white sage (sage apiana) and Sage ruler. Like the chaparral bean (Pickeringia montana) a plant unique to the Californian chaparral.
Fauna
mammals
The bush rabbit (sylvilagus bachmani), the kangaroo rat (Dipodomys agilis) and the California mouse (Peromyscus californicus) are endemic to the Californian chaparral. The mule deer or mule deer also inhabits the chaparral (Odocoileus hemionus), the gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) and the bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis).
Likewise, there are larger predators that include the chaparral in their habitats such as the coyote (canis latrans) and the Wolf (canis lupus).
Birds
Among the birds of the chaparral are the mountain quail (Oreotyx pictus), the Wren’s Tit (Chamaea fasciata) and the Californian thrasher (Toxostoma redivivum). Likewise, this plant formation inhabits a species of hummingbird barely 10 cm long, Ana’s hummingbird (calypte anna).
reptiles
At least two species of rattlesnake occur, the red diamond rattlesnake (Crotalus ruber) and the western rattlesnake (Crotalus viiidis hellerii). There are also other species such as the rosy boa (trivirgata lychanura), the western snub snake (Salvadora hexalepis) and the shiny snake (Arizona elegans occidentalis).
There are also various species of lizards such as the San Diego lizard (Elgaria multicarinata webbii) and the coastal horned lizard (Phrynosoma coronatum).
Climate
The characteristic climate of chaparral is Mediterranean, with hot, dry summers and cold, wet winters. With annual rainfall from 300 to 375 mm in the lowest areas and reaching up to 760 mm in mountain areas.
In the Californian chaparral, the maximum of the dry period is reached from April to May, when precipitation is minimum and the temperature is maximum. In this period the vegetation is dry and highly flammable.
The fire
The occurrence of vegetation fires is recurrent in the chaparral, as in other Mediterranean vegetation zones in the world. In the case of the Californian chaparral, the fires are increased by the so-called Santa Ana winds.
It is pointed out that fire favors chaparral as long as the fires do not occur too closely. The benefits are expressed in mineral and nitrate contributions to the soil in the ash, while clearing the area of dead wood.
In addition, the seeds of some species undergo a heat scarification process that facilitates their germination.
Chaparral in Mexico
The Mexican chaparral is part of the Californian chaparral, which covers 20,858.6 km² in Mexico. It extends to the northwest of the California peninsula (Baja California) on the Pacific coast.
On the other hand, chaparral is also found in north-central Mexico, in Sonora, Chihuahua and more widely in Coahuila de Zaragoza. Also some extensions in Nueva León and Tamaulipas.
Flora
Most genera of plants that inhabit the chaparral in Mexico are similar to the chaparral of the United States. The differences are mostly in the presence or prevalence of certain species.
In the chaparral of Baja California, the oak of the species is common. Quercus dumosa, a small tree barely 3 m high. In this area this species dominates the chaparral along with the tollon (Heteromeles arbutifolia).
While in Sonora and Chihuahua the Arizona oak is common (Quercus arizonica) and oak Quercus toumeyi. They also abound quercus in the chaparrals of Coahuila, with species such as Quercus intricata and Quercus pungens.
Fauna
Mexico shares its chaparral fauna with the United States, although local subspecies occur in some cases. For example, in the Baja California chaparral is found the Mexican subspecies of bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis mexicana).
Mexico
In southern Mexico (Valle de Tehuacán, Puebla) there is a type of vegetation similar to chaparral, but not in a Mediterranean climate. In this case it is an equally evergreen formation, with a stocky sclerophyll, but it grows in a tropical climate with humid summers.
Some botanists call this formation mexical to differentiate it from the chaparral proper (Mediterranean).
Other examples of chaparral around the world
Chaparral is the characteristic Mediterranean vegetation of the Pacific coast of southwestern North America, encompassing the United States and Mexico. Additionally, there is Mediterranean vegetation in 4 other regions of the world, which are the Mediterranean Sea basin, Chile, Australia and South Africa.
All these ecosystems have in common the climate, the incidence of fire and a flora adapted to these conditions, especially to dry and hot summers. However, there are important differences in species composition and vegetation structure.
the mediterranean forest
Some of the ecosystems present in the Mediterranean basin resemble chaparral by presenting similar genera such as quercus. They also show a similar structure, with tall shrubs and squat, highly branched trees no more than 5-6 m tall.
This occurs especially with the vegetation called maquis or maquis in some areas of the western Mediterranean in Spain, France and Italy.
Chilean scrub
This Mediterranean formation has a structure similar to chaparral, since it presents shrubs between 4 and 8 m in height. However, it is totally different in species composition, with a predominance of cacti and legumes of tropical genera such as prosopis and Acacia.
The mallee and Australian Mediterranean forests
It has no structural or species resemblance to chaparral, since eucalyptus species predominate.
South African fynbos
In this case, it is a plant formation of low, dense shrubs. On the other hand, the composition of species is unique, as it is part of the Capense (of Cape Town) floristic kingdom.
References
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World Wild Life (Viewed on March 26, 2020). Taken from: worldwildlife.org