The Chaparral
“Come one, come all,
come to the Chaparral”
Tumblewee
d Travel Co.
By Sarah W., Megan H., Luke B.
Some people say that
the only way one can
live in the Chaparral is
if you carry a fire
extinguisher and have
home insurance.
However, there is
much more to the
Chaparral than fire
and destruction...
The California Chaparral
“Dominating foothills and mountain slopes from the
Rogue River Valley in southern Oregon to the San
Pedro Martir in Baja California. Chaparral provides
the deep green backdrop for Santa Barbara, the
soft hues surrounding the gold country along the
western slopes of the Sierra, and a valuable
wilderness retreat for a rapidly growing San Diego.
Take a drive into the hills surrounding nearly every
southern California metropolitan area and you are
immediately immersed in chaparral”
Chaparral locations
Chaparral Locations
● Coastal regions that border
deserts
● Central Chile = matorral
● Western Australia = kwongan
● South Africa = called Fynbos
(fain-boos)
● Mediterranean Region=Maquis
Description of Chaparral
● A special plant community characterized by
drought hardy, woody shrubs, shaped by a
Mediterranean-type climate (summer
drought, winter rain), and threatened by
too many fires.
Plants of the Chaparral
Blue Oak
Adaptation: extensive root system
allows it to find water
Mountain Mahogany
Adaptation: it dwarves when there
is a severe drought
Plants of the Chaparral
Manzanita
Adaptation: the plant germinates by
fire
Chamise
Adaptation: the
blossoms sprout after
fire
Plants of the Chaparral
Scrub Oak
Adaptation: resprout from basal
burls after a burn
Silk-tassel Bush
Adaptation: grows the best in little
sun and infrequent watering
Animals of the Chaparral
● adaptations required to survive in the Chaparral
o unique fur with the ability to adjust with wide
temperature ranges
o ability to cope with sparse and rough terrain (less of a
need for food and water)
 the ability to ration due to long droughts
o nocturnalism to avoid the harsh heat during the day
o usually small in size because of the short plants
o ability to consume and digest plants from rough,
shrubbish terrain
Animals of the Chaparral
Black-Tailed Jack Rabbit
Cactus Wren
Animals of the Chaparral
Puma
Wild Goat
Animals of the Chaparral
Spotted Skunk
San Joachin Kit Fox
Seasons and Climate of the Chaparral
● Winter: mild and moist, but not rainy
● Summer: very hot and dry
o
wide temperature range: 30-100 degrees fahrenheit
● mid-altitude climate, with westerly winds
(which is why chaparral biomes tend to be
on the west coast of continents
Temperature and Precipitation
The Chaparral
area receives
about 10-17 inches
of precipitation a
year.
Visiting Times
Winter/Spring: This season is perfect for your shrubbery
viewing pleasure. The cool days provide an optimum
setting for hiking excursions and catching glimpses of
sprouting Chaparral plants. Come catch the scenery
before it catches on fire!
Activities
● Sightseeing tours:
o
o
o
Wildlife
oceanic views
Western movie film locations
● Nightlife:
o
o
Observe nocturnal species
Witness wildfires burn the entire biome and light
up the night sky!
● Hike in a globally unique, emblematically
Californian landscape
Unique Features of the Chaparral
● the chaparral is adapted to and maintained by fires
o many of the shrubs store food reserves in their fire-resistant roots
and produce seeds that sprout only after a hot fire.
o with the first rain, annual grasses and wildflowers spring up and use
nutrients released by the fire → new shrubs grow quickly and crowd
out the grasses.
Environmental Issues
● lumberjacks are cutting down trees and
destroying vegetation
● humans kill animals, which disrupt the food
chain
● commercial building
● fires started by humans
o
people feel that this is necessary in order to
preserve the biome, this is false.
The Chaparral is waiting...