by Sabine B.
Why is California so diverse? One reason is the abundance of different biomes and environments. The wide beaches and rocky cliffs of the coast regions border groves of redwood trees, oak woodlands merge into stands of fir and pine that give way to alpine meadows, and sage flats sprawl into sandy deserts. We have both the highest place in the continental US, Mount Whitney, and the lowest place, Badwater Basin. There are many different habitats in California which means there are a lot of different species.
There is another reason as well! The land along the coast of California is part of a biome known as the chaparral biome, and those oak woodlands I mentioned are part of it. This biome is one of the rarest biomes on earth and it provides the perfect environment for lots of unique species. It only exists on the western side of continents and only from 40 degrees to 30 degrees north and south on either side of the equator. It is found along the coasts of Chile in South America, along the coast of Australia, along part of the coast of Africa, along the coast of California, and, in probably its most famous occurrence, in the Mediterranean in Europe (the chaparral biome is the reason for that ideal ‘Mediterranean climate’). The chaparral has mild wet winters and long hot summers. Its rain cycle is one of the things that sets it apart from other biomes.
Due to its weather patterns, the plants of the chaparral have evolved adaptations that prevent drying out during droughts, and are fire resistant to protect against fires. The animals have adapted along with the plants. Because the chaparral zones are so far apart, and have such favorable conditions, and are so rare, species that settle in them often specialize to fit them. This means that chaparral zones are biodiversity hotspots. Those are places where more of the species living there are biologically unique than in other places. Just like in other biodiversity hotspots, California has many, many endemic species. They are found nowhere else in the world. Some of the species I will be sharing with you are found in only one or two counties in California.
Every installment is researched and illustrated by me and will feature a native Californian animal, fungus, and plant. I will include the scientific name and the common name if there is one. I will also note something special about them. Feel free to look them up for more about them!
The Lighthouse 