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Chaparral The Chaparral, also
know as California woodland and grasslands, is found on the
coast of California in western North America. You could find this
biome in a section of the Sierra Nevada. It's latitude range
is 53° to 65º North in the coastal range but the
mountain range is at 32° to 60º North. The California
Chaparral has peaks that rise up to 5,000 feet above sea
level and the mountains are steeply sloped. The valleys and
streams are narrow and widely spaced.The chaparral biome
climate is usually hot and dry in the summers, and rainy and
mild in the winters. The temperature ranges from 53° to
65° F in the coast range and 32° to 60° F in
the mountains. Precipitation ranges from 12 to 40 inches per
year, and comes down mostly as rain. Most of the rain falls
in the fall, winter and spring. It increases with elevation.
The snow that comes in winter melts fast. Frost and a little
freezing weather occurs in the winter. The Chaparral biome
contains all four seasons: winter, fall, spring, and
summer. The plants that live
in the Chaparral are oaks, pines and mahoganies, and brush
such as narrow leaf golden brush. These different plants are
adapted to the Chaparral because of the climate and all the
room they have to grow. The plants have adapted by
conserving water through small, waxy leaves and being able
to live with as little water as possible. The Chaparral
contains approximately 2,036 of plants other than trees.
Some of the animals
and birds that live in the chaparral are the Sonoma
Chipmunk, Suisu Shrew, Scrub Jays, and Acorn Woodpeckers.
There's 100 different kinds of birds. The animals and birds
have adapted to the Chaparral because the climate and the
food(other animals and plants). The animals also have
adapted to the fires in the Chaparral. Many of the animals
and plants depend on the fires for regeneration. The plants
need fire because Lauvel Sumac seed coats need fire to open
them so new plants can grow. Humans have hurt the
California chaparral by cutting down the trees which the
birds and animals live in. People are cutting down the trees
because they need fire wood and pasture. In some ways people
have helped the chaparral by repairing ares and water
sources which have been destroyed by domestic animals and
water diversion. by Sophia W.
2002
bibliography: "[Biomes -
Living Worlds] :: Chaparral :: Plants" http://libury.thinkquest.org/C0113340/text/biomes/biomes.chaparral.plants.html
(2/8/02) "[Biomes -
Living Worlds] :: Chaparral :: Animals" http://libury.thinkquest.org/C0113340/text/biomes/biomes.chaparral.animals.html?tqtime=1&qtime=0208
(2/8/02) "WWF Scientific
Report -- California interior chaparral and woodlands
(NN1202)" http://www.worldwide.org/wildworld/profiles/terrestrial/na/na1202_full.html
(10/29/01) "Terrestrial
Ecoregions -- California interior chaparral and woodlands"
(NA1202) http://www.nationalgeographic.com/wildworld/profiles/terrestrial/na/na1202.html
(10/29/01) "California Coastal
Range Open Woodland--Shurb--Coniferous Forest--Meadow
Province", http://www.fs.fed.us/colorimagemap/images/m262.html
(10/18/01). "California
Chaparral Field Institute
http://www.californiachaparral.org/
(11/18/06)
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