Deciduous ForestsDeciduous forests are usually very cool and rainy most of the time. The average temperature of this biome is 50 degrees Fahrenheit and will go through all four seasons (Spring, Summer,Fall,Winter). Humidity plays a big role in this biome ranging from 60%-80% with 30-60 inches of rain per year. The soil is very rich in this area due to branches and leaves falling to make a natural fertilizer which is good for agriculture.. There are five layers that makes up the biome which is the ground layer(moss & lichens), herb layer(short plants), shrub layer(huckleberries), small tree layer(saplings), and top layer(maple & oak trees).
|
Chaparral
This is also known as California woodland and grasslands which is found on the coast. The climate of this area is usually hot and dry in the summer and rainy and mild in the winters. Temperatures range from 53-65 degrees Fahrenheit in the coastal area and 32-60 degrees Fahrenheit in the mountain area. It also rains 12-40 inches of rain per year. The plants in the ecosystem consist of oaks, pines and mahoganies, and brush such as narrow leaf golden brush. These plants survive these temperatures because they conserve water through small, waxy leaves through an adaptation over many years. Natural fires are also important in this biome because it causes new plants to grow by the seeds coats opening (Lauvel Sumac seeds).
|
DesertThe main resets in California are the Mojave Desert, Colorado Desert, and the Great Basin Desert. Deserts usually have little rainfall and are very dry caused by the rain shadow effect. The rain shadow effect causes clouds not being able to get into this area due to the mountains in the west. The rainfall is this biome is from 2-8 inches per year differing in the deserts. The temperatures can reach to 100+ degrees Fahrenheit and can drop to 50 degree Fahrenheit. Plants and animals survive in this biome because they are sustainable to going long without water. Such as the desert bighorn sheep that can survive 10+ days without water and cactus that only does photosynthesis at night so they don't dry out during the day time.
|
GrasslandGrasslands consist of more grass and is the dominant vegetation than larger trees and shrubs. This is a region where the average annual precipitation can withhold and sustaining life for plants. The average rainfall in this biome is from 20-35 inches annually with about 100+ degrees Fahrenheit in the summer and 40 degrees Fahrenheit or less in the winter. Most of the grasslands have been destroyed due to urbanization which destroys natural prairie regions. These regions consist of two grasslands; prairies(tall grasses) and steppes(short grasses)
|