10 Interesting Facts About Chaparral

These are some important facts about Chaparral which can enrich your reading resources. There is disambiguation related the term of Chaparral. It may refer to places, institutions, manufacturer, and others. Here, we will discuss the term of Chaparral related to biology. In biology, Chaparral is known as a biome which is located mainly in the U.S. state of California and in the northern of the Baja California peninsula, Mexico. To know more about it, please check this facts

Facts about Chaparral 1: Name

The name of Chaparral comes from Spanish word “chaparro” which has meaning of “small” and “dwarf” evergreen oak.

Facts about Chaparral 2: Found in California and other Mediterranean climates

This health plant community was mainly found in California and other Mediterranean climates. The wildfire and various climate of Mediterranean such as wet winters, mild and hot dry summers formed this chaparral biome.

Facts 2_Chaparral - Santa Ynez Mountains - near Santa Barbara -California

Facts about Chaparral 3: Highly flammable plants

Chaparral is known as highly flammable plants. These plants are characterized by infrequent wildfire. This large area will be covered by soft-leaved non woody annual plants after the first rain. That plant is called fire followers which will die in the period of summer dry.

Facts about Chaparral 4: Biodiversity hotspot that are under threat by human activity

The researchers which are included in some conservations organizations think the possibilities of activities of human which can threat this chaparral as a biodiversity hotspot. Biodiversity hotspot itself is defined as a biological community with various species.

facts 4_Southern coastal scrub in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area

Facts about Chaparral 5: Three sub-ecoregions of California chaparral and woodlands ecoregion

There are three sub-ecoregions with ecosystem-plant community subdivions; a. California coastal sage and chaparral, b. California montane chaparral and woodlands, c. California interior chaparral and woodland.

Facts about Chaparral 6: Indicator plants of the California chaparral and woodlands ecoregion

California chaparral and woodlands ecoregion has some indicators plants such as Quercus  (Oaks), Arctostaphylos (Manzanitas), Ceanothus (California lilacs), Rhus (Sumacs), Eriogonum (Buckwheats) and Salvia (Sages).

6_View from the Laguna Mountains, chaparral in the foreground

Facts about Chaparral 7: Desert chaparral

Desert chaparral is also known as transmontane chaparral that associates to the desert scrubland habitat and chaparral plant community growing in the rain shadow of these ranges. It can be found on the eastern slopes of major mountain range systems on the western sides of the deserts of California.

Facts about Chaparral 8: Chaparral and Fire

The hot, dry conditions that happen during the period of summer and fall in California make chaparral as the one of the most fire-prone plant communities in North America. The fires can be started and caused by lightning or human activities such as electricity failures, campfires, arson, and so forth.

Facts about Chaparral 9: Wildfire debate

In the wildfire ecology fields and land management there are two assumptions connected to Chaparral fire regimes in California. The first assumption stated that older stands of chaparral become “senescent” or “decadent”. It believes that to remain healthy, fire is needed. The second assumption stated that wildfire suppression policies will make the dead chaparral to accumulate unnaturally. As the result this accumulation will create ample fuel for big fires.

Facts about Chaparral 10: Chaparral in biomes and ecozones table

Below is the table that will explain about the classification of chaparral in biomes and ecozones

10_Table of biomes and ecozones

We will appreciate any comment related to this Facts About Chaparral. Happy reading.

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