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Most of the woody angiosperm species of California— in particular those in that part having Mediterranean climate— fall into the general category of sclerophyllous which was described by Shelford (1964, p. 238) as "thick, coreaceous, highly cutinized, and shiny" with relatively few compound or lobed leaves. By extension from the sclerophyllous leaf feature (often labeled broad sclerophyll) general plant communities have been categorized as sclerophyll vegetation types including forest, woodland, and chaparral (Shelford, 1964, ps. 238-241). Readers wishing definitive sources on California chaparral were herewith referred to the seminl publication of Cooper (1922) as well as the introductory work (in format of a a field guide) by Quinn and Keeley (2006). Definitive authoritative source remains the chapter by Hanes in Terrestrial Vegetation of California (Barbour and Major, 1995, ps. 422-431). Chaparral types are treated in this portion of the presentation.
According to Hanes in Barbour and Major (1995, ps. 422-431) there are nine chaparral types in California:
These chaparral subtypes or forms are not always separated
regionally or even at areal scale but often occur as a mosaic across
a relatively small-scale landscape.
Chaparral was known commonly by stockmen and lumberman as brushfields or brushlands (Sampson and Jespersen, 1963, p.1). These three terms are used interchangeably (as synonyms) below.
1. The first example of semiarid scrub or chaparral is California chaparral. The obvious dominant here is chamise (Adenostoma fasciculatum), the archtypical species of this widespread and variable cover type, along with common manzanita (Arctostaphylos manzanita) and other sclerophyllus species including shrubs of live oak species especially interior live oak. California chaparral and parts of adjoining woodlands and forests have often been labeled the "broad sclerophyll" based on sclerophyllous leaf features described by Shelford (1964, p. 238) as "thick, coreaceous, highly cutinized, and shiny" with relatively few compound or lobed leaves. Hopland Field Station, Mendocino County. June. FRES No. 34 (Chaparral-Mountain Shrub Ecosystem). K-29 (Chaparral). SRM 206 (Chamise Chaparral). Chamise Series of Brown et al. (1998).
2. Interior of chamise-dominated chaparral with chamise at full bloom—Stockraisers, lumbermen, and early rangemen like Arthur Sampson, often refer to chaparral as "brushfields". It is obviously an apt description. June.Hopland Field Station, Mendocino County. FRES No. 34 (Chaparral-Mountain shrub Ecosystem). K- 29 (Chaparral). SRM 206 (Chamise Chaparral). Chamise Series of Brown et al. (1998).
3. Chamise in bloom- Chamise is probably the most xerophytic of the dominant chaparral species. It is often the only shrub on south and southwest slopes in the semiarid chaparral zone. Chamise is also usually the most dominant species of desert chaparral. Mendocino County, California. May.
4. Landscape view of California chaparral- This is primarily a scrub oak type or form with scrub interior live oak (Quercus wislizenii var. frutescens) the predominate chaparral species, but there are smaller patches of other types or subforms including the chamise (Adenostoma fasciculatum) form. Others species visible include poison oak (Rhus diversiloba= Toxicodendron diversilobum), California buckeye (Aesclus californica), blue elderberry (Sambucus coerulea= S. glauca), toyon or Christmas berry or California holly ( Photinia arbutifolia), coyotebrush or chaparral broom (Baccharis pilularis), and California scrub oak (Quercus dumosa). Understory comprised primarily of naturalized Mediterranean grasses with wild oats the dominant species (note Avena panicle in foreground). California Coast Range, the easternmost (adjacent to Sacramento Valley) line of hills. Napa County, California. June. FRES No. 34 (Chaparral-Mountain Shrub Ecosystem), K-29 (Chaparral), SRM 207 (Scrub Oak Mixed Chaparral), California Native Plant Society Interior Live Oak Shrub Series (Mixed Chaparral). Scrub-Oak Series of Brown et al. (1998).
5. A patchwork of brushfields; landscape scale shot of California chaparral- This is a mosaic of various locally climax communities that comprise at least four distinct chaparral types: scrub interior live oak SRM 207 (Scrub Oak Mixed Chaparral), chamise chaparral (SRM 206), manzanita chaparral (no SRM), woodland chaparral (no SRM). The chamise type is in the left-center foreground (on a southwest slope), while the scrub oak form is in draws (eg. left foreground) and the woodland exemplified in the far right background. The scattered yellowish shrubs are California buckeye. A Digger or gray pine (Pinus sabiniana), a dominant species of the woodland chaparral is seen in left foreground. This patchwork of California chaparral types or forms is in the ridge of hills of the Coast Range adjacent to the northern part of the Central Valley (Sacramento Valley). Napa County, California. June FRES No. 34 (Chaparral-Mountain Shrub Ecosystem) K- 29 (Chaparral). California Native Plant Society designations that are represented include both 1) Interior Live Oak Shrub and 2) Chamise Series.
*** Important: it is unlikely that any two authorities will be in complete agreement on any of these classifications or categories of vegetation. The California Native Plant Society specified that it classified California vegetation
"in terms of what exists today", what "…currently exists as a visually distinct entity" (Sawyer and Keeler-Wolf, 1995, p. 9). By contrast, and as noted by Sawyer and Keeler-Wolf (1995, p. 9), many other workers based their classifications of vegetation on climax or potential natural vegetation. This includes (more or less) vegetation as described by ecologists in the California Native Plant Society "bible", Terrestrial Vegetation of California (Barbour and Major, 1995). Most older systems such as those of Federal conservation agencies (eg. U.S. Forest Service, Soil Conservation Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) and, to a lesser degree, the California Soil-Vegetation Survey were basically Clementsian in scale (temporal and spatial) and philosophy (climax theory) and based on vegetation they interpreted as climax or projected potential natural vegetation.
As unabashedly Clementsian and traditionalist in perspective, the collector and "describer" of the range types shown herein, wrote descriptions that were based on best guesses and historic descriptions of climax vegetation (including disturbance climaxes, which is again consistent with the Clementsian paradigm). Units of "present vegetation" or currently existing vegetation such as those of the California Native Plant Society were "sprinkled in" when they were consistent with the literature founded on such climax vegetation concepts and units as formations, associations, range and forest types, and range sites.
6. North and south slope communities of California chaparral- The south slope (left) is a chamise-annual grass (mostly wild oats) shrub savanna; north slope (right) is a common manzanita (Arctostaphylos manzanita)-scrub oak (mostly scrub interior live oak) chaparral type (conspicuous yellowish shrubs are California buckeye).Napa County, California, June. FRES No. 34 (Chaparral-Mountain Scrub Ecosystem), K-29 (Chaparral), SRM 206 and manzanita variant of 207. California Native Plant Society Chamise Series (Chamise Chaparral) and Interior Live Oak-Scrub Oak Shrub Series (Mixed Chaparral).
7 . Chamise Chaparral- South and southwest slopes support the chamise chaparral type as a shrub savanna with California annual grassland (dominated by wild oats) as the understory. Napa County, California (inland-most range of hills of the Coast Range). FRES No.34 (Chaparral-Mountain ShrubEcosystem), K-29 (Chaparral), SRM 206 (Chamise Chaparral). California Native Plant Society Chamise Series (Chamise Chaparral). Chamise Series of Brown et al. (1998).
8. Toyon (to ranchers and loggers) or Christmas berry or California holly (to city dudes) or Photinia arbutifolia (to botanists)- Chamise and toyon are members of the rose family. Napa County, California. June.
9. California buckeye (Aesculus californica)- This showy shrub (it is valuable as an ornamental native plant) is a poisonous range plant. It has poisoned people (hopefully not many rangemen), all classes of livestock, and even honeybees by both nectar and pollen (Kingsbury, 1964, p. 218; Fuller and McClintock, 1986, p. 178). The poisonous principle is aesculin, a hydroxylated derivative of coumarin (Fuller and McClintock, 1986, p. 320).
10. Woodland Chaparral (or predominately the woodland chaparral type with pockets of the scrub oak chaparral type)- This sunlit southeast slope supports the tree (vs. shrub) form of scrub interior live oak and Oregon or Brewer oak (Quercus garrayan var. breweri) with large individuals of common manzanita. Scattered throughout is Digger or gray pine (four trees are conspicuous from center left across the brushfield. Shasta County, California. June. FRES No. 34 (Chaparral-Mountain Shrub Ecosystem), K-29 (Chaparral). No specific SRM for woodland chaparral; closest California Native Plant Society Series is Foothill [= Digger] Pine Series which corresponds to Digger Pine Chaparral.
11. Woodland Chaparral- This is the northeastern slope of the brushland seen from the southeast slope in the preceding slide. Here on the less sunlit, less xeric slope the tree form of interior liveoak (Quercus wislizenii var. wislizenii) and Digger pines add a dominant arborescent layer above (and mostly on the upper north slope from) the shrub form of scrub interior live oak, Oregon or Brewer oak, common manzanita, and skunkbush or skunkbush sumac. Shasta County, California, June. FRES No. 34 (Chaparral-Mountain Shrub Ecosystem), K-29 (Chaparral), No specific SRM for woodland chaparral; closest California native Plant Society Series is some combination of Interior Live Oak and Foothill [= Digger] Pine Series recognized previously as Interior Live Oak-Foothill Pine-Common Manzanita Association.
12. Interior of woodland chaparral- Inside of the Interior Live Oak-Digger or Gray Pine-Common Manzanita Association. Common manzanita at far left with chamise iimmediately in front of it and skunkbush sumac immediately to right in line with chamise. Scrub interior live oak is immediately behind the skunkbush. Digger pine in center, far right midground, and skyline. Some scrub Oregon or Brewer oak and California coffeeberry (Rhamnus californica). Shasta County, California, June. FRES No. 34 (Chaparral-Mountain Shrub Ecosystem), K-29 (Chaparral). No SRM or California Native Plant Society for Woodland Chaparral.
13. Common manzanita (Arctostaphylos manzanita)- This is one of the largest Arctostaphylos species frequently becoming tree-like in stature. It does not root- or crown-sprout but repopulates burnt-over brushfields from the soil seed bank which is indicated from this year's fruit crop is usually more than adequate. Mendocino County, California. May.
14. Base of stems of common manzanita- The bark of many species of the heath family (Ericaceae) is strikingly beautiful. Common manzanita is certainly no exception Mendocino County, California. May.
15. Brushfield of chamise and wedgeleaf ceanothus (Ceanothus cuneatus) with scattered manzanitas and Digger pine— Note the so-called “decadent” (meaning high proportion of dead plant material) characteristic of this fire-type. These scene illustrates why California chaparral burns so readily during the long, hot, dry summer of the Mediterranean climate.Mt. Diablo State Park. FRES No. 34 (Chaparral-Mountain Shrub Ecosystem). K-29 (Chaparral). SRM 208 (Ceanothus Mixed Chaparral). Ceanothus Series of Brown et al. (1998).
16. Hollyleaf redberry (Rhamnus crocea var. ilicifolia= R. ilicifolia)- Sampson and Jespersen (1963, p. 114) rated redberry as good to excellent browse for deer and goats and fair to good for cattle and sheep. As seen in this brushfield on Mount Diablo that had burned two or three growing seasons back, hollyleaf redberry is a prolific sprouter and game and goat range is improved tremendously by periodic prescribed burns. Hollyleaf redberry is an associate of several forms of Mixed Chaparral but occasionally forms extensive consociations particularly under frequent burning. The herb layer is comprised of annual grasses. Contra Costa County, California. May.
17. Montane or Mixed Montane Chaparral- According to Hanes in Barbour and Major, 1995, p. 428) this is the Yellow Pine Chaparral of Clements (1920) or Timberland Chaparral. Ponderosa pine is the only tree and clearly the dominant species of the community, yet the shrub layer is prominent and diverse with greenleaf manzanita (Arctostaphylos patula) and wedgeleaf ceanothus (Ceanothus cuneatus) co-dominant. Plumas County, California. June. FRES No. 34 (Chaparral-Mountain Shrub Ecosystem), K-29 (Chaparral), variant of SRM 209 (Montane Shrubland). Has been labeled as Ponderosa pine-wedgeleaf ceanothus association which was included in the California Native Plant Society Ponderosa Pine Series and as Mixed Montane Chaparral and Lower Montane Chaparral within the California Native Plant Society Wedgeleaf Ceanothus Series and as Upper Sonoran Manzanita Chaparral, Mixed Montane Chaparral, and Montane Chaparral under the California Native Plant Society Greenleaf Manzanita Series.
18. Wedgeleaf ceanothus, also known variously as wedgeleaf California lilac, greasebush, hornbrush, or buckbrush, (Ceanothus cuneatus)- This is a non-sprouting member of the Rhamnaceae, but like most chaparral species that do not sprout it is a prolific seeder and repopulates following fire from amble soil seedbanks. Repeated burning greatly reduces wedgeleaf populations and they are crowded out by annual grasses. Sampson and Jespersen (1963, 106) rated wedgeleaf ceanothus as fair to good browse for small ruminants. Plumas County, California. June.
******Another example— another variant form of —of Mixed Montane Chaparral, California Native Plant Society Whiteleaf Manzanita (Arctostaphylos viscida) is shown and described under the Sierra Nevada Mixed Conifer Forest (Forest and Woodland slides) as a brush transition community within the Mixed Conifer Forest Cover Type.
19. Mixed Montane Chaparral- This range community consist of the intergrading of elements from various cover types and illustrates the difficulty in "pigeon-holing" vegetation which is especially problematic with California chaparra. This vegetation occurs at approximately 4500 feet elevation (upper reaches of Upper Sonoran Life Zone) in the San Jacinto Mountains of the Penninsular Ranges of soluthwestern California. Red shanks or ribbonwood (Adenstoma sparsifolium) is the dominant species based on cover, but it is not the pure form of Red Shanks Chaparral seen in the next scene. Instead the shrub layer includes chaparral yucca (Yucca whipplei), shrub live or scrub oak (Quercus turbinella= Q. dumosa var. turbinella), eastwood manzanita (Arctostaphylos glandulosa), pointleaf manzanita (A. pungens), and birchleaf mountain-mahogany (Cercocarpus betuloides) with infrequent chamise. These form a diverse woody understory beneath one-leaf or single-leaf pinyon pine (Pinus monophylla= P. cembroides var. monophylla) and California juniper (Juniperus californica). An herb layer is absent except for a few stray Mediterranean species of grasses (eg. red brome) that "strayed" from the desert below. Riverside County, California. June. FRES No. 34 (Chaparral-Mountain Shrub Ecosystem), K- 29 (Chaparral). Closest SRM is a variant of 209 (Montane Shrubland). California Native Plant Society Red Shank-Birchleaf Mountain-Mahogany Series (Red Shank-Birchleaf Mountain-Mahogany Association reported for Peninsular Ranges).
20. Red Shanks or Ribbonwood Chaparral- This example of a distinctive form of California chaparral was growing in the Upper Sonoran or lower Transition Life Zones (about 5000 foot elevation) of the San Jacinto Moutains in southwestern California. Riverside County, California. June. FRES No. 34 (Chaparral-Mountain Shrub Ecosystem), K-29 (Chaparral). No SRM comes close, but this consociation falls directly under California Native Plant Society Red Shank Series (Red Shanks Chaparral and Red Shank Association). Red Shanks and its "kissin' cousin" chamise are frequently co-dominant forming another form or subtype of California chaparral but here in the Peninsular, as in the Transverse, Ranges the former essentially replaces the latter as seen in this pure stand of red shanks.
21. Red shanks or ribbonwood (Adenostoma sparsifolium)- This Pacific Slope representative of the rose family does not have have the geographical range of chamise, but like chamise it is a dominant or major associate of the vegetation in which it grows. Red shanks is a very interesting shrub and was described in all of the various flora or manuals of California plant life. The range plant perspective of ribbonwood was noted briefly in McMinn (1939, p. 195) and more thoroughly in Sampson and Jespersen (1963, p. 82-85).
Riverside County, California. June.
22. Madera County Range Improvement Association conducting a prescribed burn- Neighbor helping neighbor was a key social institution on the frontier. Whether it was log-rolling and cabin-or barn-raising in the backwoods of the Cumberland, husking-bees and quilting parties in the Midwest, or livestock association round-ups on the Western Range cooperatively organized work groups where the cultural invention used to do work that one family or small ranch could not accomplish on it's own. (The term log-rolling was even applied to the political activity of "sharing votes" on Capital Hill, an artifact of our frontier heritage.) Before the great rural state of California was destroyed by urbanization (largely through return of GIs to the hospitable Mediterranean Climate they encountered during World War II) ranchers organized in local range improvement associations which cooperatively fired one anothers "brushfields" and even annual grassland ranges. In this shot of "the way we were" a group of ranchers are conducting area ignition of crushed green brush in Madera County. The benefits of prescribed burning were obviously known by these experienced ranchmen, and long before the term was used. May 1952.
23. Resprouts of top-killed scrub interior live oak (Quercus wislizenii var.frutescens)- A wild fire brought about the obvious benefit of lowering browse to a level available to browsing animals, in this instance black-tail deer on game range on Mount Diablo, Contra Costa County, California. May.
24. Close-up of resprouts of scrub interior live oak
seen in the last slide.
The author recommends these sources as definitive references for use
of prescribed burning of California chaparral: Shantz (1947), Biswell
(1989), and Keeley and Scott (1995). In keeping with the central historic
fact of the accompanying review that Frederic Edwards Clements was
the cornerstone of Range Management, the author highlights the fact
that first two authors earned their Ph.D.s at the University of Nebraska.
25. Mixed Montane or Upper Montane Chaparral- This is another variant of the mixed montane chaparral but in northern California and at higher elevations in the Sierra Nevada (it borders a red fir forest). Part of this brushfield burnt the preceding year. This view is at edge of burned and unburned chaparral. Species include California coffeeberry (Rhamnus californica), bush chinquapin (Chrysolepis sempervirens), huckleberry oak (Quercus vaccinifolia), greenleaf manzanita (Arctostaphylos patula), and beargrass (Xerophyllum tenax). Note release of beargrass by the fire. Plumas National Forest, Plumas County, California. June. FRES No. 34 (chaparral-Mountain Shrub Ecosystem), K- 29 (Chaparral), another variant of SRM 209 (Montane Shrubland).
26. Close-up view of resprouts in an Upper Montane Brushland- Detail of the burned part of the mixed montane brushfield community seen in preceding slide. Beargrass, California coffeeberry, bush chinquapin, greenleaf manzanita, and huckleberry oak all visible here. Plumas National Forest, Plumas County, California. June.
27. Huckleberry Oak- Stand of huckleberry oak in Upper Montane Chaparral. Sawyer and Keeler-Wolf (1995, p. 160) recorded that huckleberry oak can occur as the sole shrub in montane chaparral. This is an example of that community. Huckleberry oak and bush chinquapin often occur as the only and as co-dominant species in montane chaparral. Lockout Mountain, Plumas National Forest, Plumas County, California, California. June. FRES No. 34 (Chaparral-Mountain Shrub Ecosystem), K-29 (Chaparral), variant of SRM 209 (Montane Shrubland), California Native Plant Society Huckleberry Oak Series.
The vegetation of the Pacific Coast is stratified into narrow zones or bands of communities going from the strand of beaches or coastal cliffs to forests. Beaches are rare, especially in California where three-fourths of the coastline is cliffs. Between the ocean wash zone to the Pacific Forest there occur either strand communities (rare) or marshes or, more commonly, cliff vegetation and then either grassland and/or shrubland vegetation.
This zonal pattern of coastal vegetation differs at the most general or broadest level of biotic community, the biome (shrubland, grassland, forest). Vegetation was pictured and discussed under those biome headings. Viewers must "change channels" from grassland to shrubland to forest slide sets to see this remarkable array of zonal vegetation. Range cover types and not vegetation mapping was emphasized in this publication. Descriptions of range cover types include names of adjoining range types to facilitate this ride across— most commonly, through —range and forest plant communities.) Slides of ecotones were included to show the "rider" the way from a cover type in one biome to the adjoining cover type in another biome (eg. coastal scrub to Pacific forest).
In his vegetation map, Natural Vegetation of California, Kuchler (1977) represented this zonation and patchwork of climax plant communities under the heading, Formations of Coastal Complexes, specifically as Coastal Prairie-Scrub Mosaic (Baccharis-Danthonia-Festuca), unit number 52, and Northern Seashore Communities (Elymus-Baccharis), unit number 50. It was discussed under the grassland cover types that the Danthonia californica-Festuca species community was the climax grassland, the pre-European bunchgrass prairie, which Kuchler mapped as potential natural vegetation but which "is no more" (except for rare interesting relicts) having been replaced by such disturbance climaxes as the Anthoxanthum-Holcus complex. Likewise, the beach grass species Elymus mollis was largely displaced by the European beachgrass (Ammophila arenaria) monoculture. The climax scrub still exist.
The following slides are of Pacific coastal shrublands. This beach and coastal scrub vegetation is not classified as chaparral in a strict sense. The term chaparral is derived from the Spanish chaparro for evergreen oak (Sampson and Jespersen, 1963, p. 3). In the Anglo (and Mexican, especially Tex-Mex) application of chaparro the term can apply to any shrub or shrub-like plants (ie. "brush"). Hence the cowboy "chaps" for the leather leggin's protecting one's britches. As with generic terms like "man", "cow" or "dog", "chaparral" can correctly refer to any sort of "brush"--- in general terms. There is "South Texas chaparral" for the Prosopis-Acadia savanna or Arizona and Rocky Mountain "chaparral" for mountain scrublands. In the case of the latter, mountain chaparral (eg. Gambel oak or Rocky Mountain shrubland) is quite properly designated as "soft chaparral" (Clements used the term "Petran chaparral") to distinguish it from the "hard chaparral" of California defined, as explained earlier, as the broad, sclerophyllous leaf (usually evergreen) shrubs. This is an obvious textbook distinction of long standing (Weaver and Clements, 1938, ps. 531-533; Stoddart and Smith, 1943, 100-106).
The scrub vegetation of the Pacific Coast from northern California northward is not part of the broad sclerophyll vegetation (ie. not California chaparral). This distinction is not as obvious as that between "hard" versus "soft" chaparral, but it is a clear distinction. It was found in usage by the various authors in Barbour and Major (1995, ps.419, 472-476, 745-756).
28. Pacific headlands scrub- Coastal scrublands immediately above the cliffs of the California coastline. This (and the next seven slides) are of the Northern California Coastal Scrub, a climax shrubland. This is the coyotebrush (Baccharis pilularis, specifically B. pilularis var. consanguinea) form of climax coastal scrub. Coyote brush or chaparral broom is often either the dominant or the sole shrub of coastal scrub (Sawyer and Keeler-Wolf, 1995, 142). This composite is probably the predominate species of the northern Pacific Coast scrublands (Mooney in Barbour and Major, 1995, p. 472-476). Kuchler (1977) included Baccharis as co-dominant to climax grasses, the only shrub so shown. West Port Union Landing State Beach, Mendocino County, California. June. There is no FRES that legitimately includes and no Kuchler unit on the national map that encompasses this unit of vegetation. Coyote brush form or consociation of SRM 204 (North Coastalal Shrub). California Native Plant Society Coyote Brush Series.
29. North Coastal Pacific Scrub- Scrub community that includes as co-dominants coyote brush and shore or beach pine (Pinus contorta ssp.contorta). The diverse herbaceous understory includes redtop, big quaking grass, velvetgrass and goose-tongue or sea plantain (Plantago maritima). West Port Union Landing State Beach, Mendocino County, California. June. No FRES Number; no Kuchler Number on national map, but Kuchler No. 52 (scrub portion) on California map. SRM 204 (North Coastal Shrub) is "perfect fit". California Native Plant Society has two Series: 1) Coyote Brush and 2) Beach Pine.
30. Coyotebrush coastal shrubland- Interior view of a consociation of coyote brush or chaparral broom as a climax form of North Coastal Scrub. Although this is the climax dominant it is a poor browse species and serves man primarily for watershed and wildlife cover. Sampson and Jespersen, 1963, p. 143) rated coyote brush as no better than fair browse value for sheep and goats and useless for deer, cattle, and horses (ie. maybe coyotes like it; nothing else does). West Port Union Landing State Beach, Mendocino County, California. June. SRM 204 (North Coastal Shrub); California Native Plant Society Coyote Brush Series.
31. Diverse community of north Pacific Coast shrubland- Composite community that includes almost all dominant shrub species (except shore or beach pine) plus a well-developed herbaceous layer. Shrubs and subshrubs include coyotebrush, coffeeberry or coast berry, California yerba santa or mountain balm (Eriodictyon californicum), California blackberry (Rubus vitiflolius), and bush monkeyflower (Mimulus aurantiacus). Grasses included the native blue wildrye (Elymus glaucus) and, rarely, Pacific reedgrass (Calanmagrostis nukaensis) and the naturalized velvetgrass, sweet vernalgrass, and big quaking grass. Wsest Port Union Landing State Beach, Mendocino County, Dalifornia. June. No FRES or Kuchler national map numbers, Kuchler California No. 52 (scrub portion). SRM 204 (North Coastal Shrub) is a perfect match. California Native Plant Society Coyote Brush Series.
32. California yerba santa- As is the case for chaparral broom, this dominant species of the north Pacific coastal scrub is essentially worthless as browse. Sampson and Jespersen (1963, p. 130) rated it poor to useless for all livestock and no higher than fair (down to poor) for deer. West Port Union Landing State Beach, Mendocino County, California. June.
33. California coffeeberry- Another dominant coastal shrub species Even this member of the same family (Rhamnaceae) as that of the Ceanothus species, which are so valued for browse, is but fair browse overall. Sampson and Jespersen (1963, p. 113) rated California coffeeberry as poor to good for small ruminants and no better than fair for cattle. West Port Union Landing State Beach, Mendocino County, California. June.
34. Coastal Prairie-Scrub Mosaic- This is a composite of the Coastal Complex unit that Kuchler (1977) indicated as potential natural vegetation. It is a composite of deteriorated Danthonia-Festuca bunchgrass prairie persisting as a disclimax of naturalized European perennial grasses and the climax northern Pacific coastal scrub seen in the immediately preceding slides. As explained in those preceding slides the scrubland vegetation is overall poor browse, even for native ruminants. And as explained in the grassland slide group, sweet vernalgrass and velvet grass, the naturalized dominant grasses are medicore forage. Yet this combination is fairly good habitat for black-tail deer (Odocoileus hemionus columbianus) as well as providing some feed for cattle. West Port Union Landing State Beach, Mendocino County, California. June.No FRES Number or Kuchler number at national scale. Kuchler California No. 52. SRM 204 (North Coastal Shrub) and SRM 214 (Coastal Prairie). The latter is covered in detail under grassland slides.
35. Landscape scale view of California Northern Pacific Coastal Scrubland and Northern Seashore (Beach and Dune) Vegetation- This scene catches both of Kuchler's California map (Kuchler, 1977) units Nos. 52 and 50 for Coastal Prairie-Scrub Mosaic and Northern Seashore Communities, respectively, that make up his Formations of Coastal Complexes. The coastal scrub portion of No. 52 is in left foreground; dunes of No. 50 to right and background. The level swale in right background is slough sedge (Carex obnupta). Yerba santa, poison oak, and California coffeeberry are dominant shrubs. Blue wildrye, red fescue (Festuca rubra), and big quaking grass are understory herbs.The conspicuous gray, broadleaf species in right foreground is dune or coastal buckwheat (Eriogonum latifolium). Ten Mile Dunes Relict Area, Mendocino County, California, California. June. SRM 204 (North Coastal Shrub).
36. Dune-mat— This is the Dune Sagebrush (Artemesia pycnocephala) Phase of the Sand Verbena (Abronia latifolia)-Beach Brusage Series (Ambrosia chamissonis) Series (Sawyer and Keeeler-Wolf, 1995, ps. 80-81; Pickart and Sawyer, 1998, ps. 7-10). It is the coastal-most community of the Kuchler (1977) Coastal Complex Formantion and SRM 204 (North Coastal Shrub). Foremost plant is coast or dune buckwheat. The tall subshrub is dune sagebrush and the prostrate yellow-bloomer is yellow sand verbena. Ten Mile Dunes Relict Area, Mendocino County, California. June.
37. Interior view of Dune Sagebrush Phase of Sand Verbena-Beach Bursage California Native Plant Society Series- This is an active dune system. The beachward view is of the interior part of a semi-stable foredune complx (both foredune ridge and dune hollows are visible) (Pickart and Sawyer, 1998, p. 5).
38. Yellow sand verbena- Ten Mile Dunes Relict Area, Mendocino County, California. June.
The Northern Seashore Community, the Kuchler (1977) California vegetation unit of 50, also includes patches of foredune populated, often exclusively, by sea lyme grass or ashy (= soft) wildrye (Elymus mollis= E. arenarius var. mollis). This native dune stabilizer colonizes fresh sand dunes blown and washed up along the relatively rare California beach zone, but it is climax vegetation as are sea oats along the Gulf Coast dunes. This localized E. mollis consociation is technically grassland (as is the sea oats community) and occurs on seashore dunes northward to Alaska. A photograph of sea lyme grass cover type was included with the Tundra slide set because it was photographed at the edge of Alaskan tundra.
Both the California chaparral and northern coastal scrub-beach and dune rangeland cover types are of limited browse/forage potential and value. Hanes in Barbour and Major (1995, p. 418) wrote in the same sentence that "… chaparral has no commercial value" yet "… it forms the most highly valued watershed cover of any vegetation in the state". Obviously the two statements are contradictory. And obviously chaparral (also non-chaparral coastal shrublands and beach and dune vegetation) are of immense "commercial value" given that water is the "lifeblood of the West" and protection against erosion is invaluable. The fact that these climax rangeland communities produce any commercial feed and wildlife habitat at all while providing the priceless, indispensable function of watershed protection merits their continued preservation and the utmost safeguards in their wise-use management.
Along parts of the Pacific Coast the dominant species of shore or coast pine (Pinus contorta var. contorta) and Sitka spruce (Picea sitckensis) grow as a krumholtz or elfinwood form ranging from stunted or "runt" tree form (though clearly tree with single bole and height of , say 20 feet) to a shrub or scrub form (several stems and shrub stature). A combination of pruning, desciating factors such as fierce winds accompanied with driving salt-spray and sand account for this growth phenomenon along with natural (genetic) selection for genotypes and ecotypes adapted to an environment that is much more severe than that over most of the ranges of these species.
The shore pine-Sitka spruce cover type could be interpreted as a shrub or another of several "pygmy forest" types. This cover type is properly referred to as a scrub forest based on the definition provided by the Society of American Foresters (Helms, 1998). For consistency in this publication-- and based on plant species-- the shore pine-Sitka spruce community was included herein with the Pacific Northwest Forests.
39. Coastal sage scrub type- Coastal Sagebrush (Artemisia californica) characterizes a range vegetation type occupying a relatively narrow zone right along the Pacific slope as represented here at the Golden Gate. Herbaceous species are primarily those of the annual grassland type. Marin County. April. FRES No. 34 (Chaparral-Mountain Shrub Ecosystem). K-30 (Coastal Sagebrush). SRM 205 (Coastal Sage Shrub). Mixed Sage Series of Brown et al. (1998).
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